When a fictional body that started as a side character in a novel becomes a full-blown horror icon known throughout the world and prompts its own autobiography to be written, you know we’ve got something special here. And so it is with the good doctor that author Brian Rafterty has gone to great lengths and leaving no “quid pro quos” on the process of how famed author Thomas Harris brought Hannibal Lecter to life and all the juicy details that lie in between, taking him from the book to the big screen, spilling the delightful tea along the way in “HANNIBAL LECTER: A LIFE”.
So let’s flip through this book a bit:
We begin with the true birth of a monster, dating back to 1935 with real-life killings and interviews with murderers that later inspired Thomas Harris’ idea for a cannibalistic character—something completely opposite of his “shy demeanor” and a relative noting, “the most non-violent person he’d ever known.” and the book that started it all with “RED DRAGON” and Harris’ painstaking effort into writing this character that the author notes, “wore him out”.
The book became an instant hit, and “RED DRAGON’ hit Hollywood in the form of MANHUNTER, where the world got to see Lecter for the first time in the flesh, played by Brian Cox. While the studios were basically breaking down the door for the rights, the journey wasn’t anything but easy…
Of course, it was 1991’s THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of the maniac psychiatrist that really solidified Lecter’s name in the stars of pop culture icons, bringing down a hammer (in the most polite way possible) of psychological fear into movie goers. Raftery really goes the distance, taking us through each film’s journey and providing everything you could possibly want to know about LAMBS, including never-before-seen correspondence between Thomas Harris and director Jonathan Demme. As well as every film thereafter, including the severely underrated HANNIBAL series, which was pulled off the air way too soon, in my humble opinion.
“HANNIBAL LECTER: A LIFE” also includes the true-life inspirations for Clarice Starling and discussions with former FBI profiler John Douglas; entries of which are both incredibly fascinating and informative, pulling in the true-crime enthusiast that resides in so many of us. Speaking of which, alongside the jeopardy knowledge of history that is soaked into these pages, the book builds an argument that credits Thomas Harris and his iconic creation of Hannibal Lecter with modern society’s fascination with serial killers.
The book has a little something for everyone: horror fans, true crime aficionados, cinephiles, and aspiring authors. However, if you’re not a fan of modern climate political deep dives, which is something I think a lot of us are trying to escape from, skip the prologue entirely and just dive into the rest. Other than that, it’s a must-read for all the aforementioned and learn a few things about this legendary character that I never thought about, or believed I needed to know- but pass me a glass of Chianti because I’m sure happy I do now.
There’s just something exceptionally satisfying about bedazzling the most “joyful” holiday of the year into a ho-ho-horror spectacle that gives me all the damn fuzzies. Christmas Horror, as we all know is entirely a subgenre on its own, churning out various titles throughout the years to keep our holidays grim and dark. From holiday horror treasures such as Black Christmasand Silent Night, Deadly Night, to more modern instant classics likeRare Exportsand most recently Violent Night, have become seasonal band-aids for genre fans to get even the scroogiest of Scrooges into the Xmas spirit.
Seriously, dive into some boozy eggnog and get cheery. You don’t want to be caught on the naughty list.
The Christmas Horror movie list is ever-growing in its own glorious classification of horror, but how about some of those holiday-themed episodes from some of our favorite television shows that fit into the horror category? Much like the beloved Halloween specials we receive on occasion from all the various genres of sitcoms, (Roseanne did it best, fight me) horror-infused primetime has a good chunk of dark yuletide ammo to mix things up in between those holiday-horror feature films that are generally free to watch with certain streaming subscriptions, or hell sometimes YouTube will give it to for free!
So grab your Finger Figgy Pudding, a shot of DeadNog, and let me advise you, viewers, on some binge-worthy essential Holiday Horror TV.
“The Munsters Scary Little Christmas Special”
The 90-minute special that aired on CBS back on December 17, 1996, introduces an all-new cast inhabiting the mansion on Mockingbird Lane; and it’s really not as bad as one would think. Just watch Rob Zombie’s crap version of 2022 and then get back to me on this.
The basic main plot centers around little Eddie and his melancholy holiday spirit that of course, only Santa Claus can resurrect- typical Christmas story plot. However, and again, this is the Munsters, so all sorts of silly shenanigans are afoot along the way. Certainly, the coolest part is the monster party Lily throws to cheer up Eddie and his longing for his Transylvanian home. Various branches of the extended Munster family make an appearance at the holiday shindig, all of which are depicted by famous movie monsters. Oh yes, there’s a Creature from the Black Lagoon in there and it’s fan-friggin-tastic.
In the very few times The Munsters have been rebooted and recast, this little holiday special seems most true to the feel of the original ‘60s series. The makeup and Munster Mansion could look better, but those are just nitpicking details that shouldn’t sway anyone from checking this one out at least once. It’s one of my eight-year-olds and my father’s favorites, who is a die-hard, no-bologna Munster fan. So if you love the silliness from the old show, chances are you’ll get a kick out of this as well. You can rent it here on Amazon for $1.54!
“Unholy Night”– “American Horror Story: Asylum”
Move over Bloody Face and make room for Santa Emerson.
In season two, episode eight of Asylum, we’re introduced to a seriously disturbed, homicidal Santa with one hell of a twisted sense of humor- Leigh Emerson (Ian McShane). Emerson kills a bell-ringing Santa and unleashes a reign of terror on a preselected family. Which ultimately lands him at the infamous Briarcliff and under Sister Jude’s abusive control. Until the tables turn on her anyway.
Of all the psycho Santas in the genre, McShane’s portrayal of this Yuletide maniac is by far the most seriously underrated. This character needs his own full-length Christmas horror feature for sure. “The only difference between me and the real Santa is that he only comes once a year!”
It gets me every time.
Personally speaking, I’m not a huge fan of AHS’s second season, but “Unholy Night” certainly hits a major high note for this chapter in Murphy’s spiritually connected saga. Bonus points, this episode is written by James Wong (Final Destination) and directed by Michael Lehmann (Heathers). You can stream this one here over on Hulu.
“How the Ghosts Stole Christmas”“The X-Files”
Originally airing on December 13, 1998, The X-Filessixth season brought forth a nice little Christmas episode wrapped in paranormal packaging. “How the Ghosts Stole Christmas” is one of those stand-alone monster episodes in the series that strays away from the storyline, but is welcomed nonetheless. Some of the best episodes in the series have been these types of episodes, and this one, in particular, is way up on that list folks.
The episode co-stars Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin as a pair of trickery star-crossed deceased lovers, who performed a murder/suicide pact in their home. Folklore has it that any couple who enters their abandoned house will become trapped and forced into the same fate. That sounds like a case for Mulder and Scully! What better way to spend Christmas than ghostbusting, eh?
With a fantastically dark haunted house set up on the heels of the Noel holiday, this Christmas edition of X-Files has plenty of good scares and some personal time with Mulder and Scully. Among all the paranormal illusions and corpses under the floorboard, there’s a really touching Christmas moment between the pair at the end of the episode. Ending it on a heartfelt high note. Because that’s what Christmas is all about, right? Grab your significant other and catch this one on Hulu here.
“Night of the Meek”–“The Twilight Zone”
First airing on December, 23rd 1960 on the CBS primetime lineup, Twilight Zone’s “Night of the Meek” has become an annual tradition in our house of horrors. There isn’t any blood, gore, or psycho Santas swinging axes, but there’s a lot of heart and mystery here. That goes a long way.
Most episodes from The Twilight Zone offer some sort of mind-fucking twist to get you rattled a tad. However, “Night of the Meek” is one of those rare exceptions that just leaves you all fuzzy on the inside. Rod Serling takes us on a Christmas Eve journey into The Twilight Zone with a down-and-out Mall Santa, Henry Corwin. Visibly drunk and a bit disoriented, Corwin is fired from his jolly job and then goes into a pretty powerful monologue explaining why he is boozing it up for the holidays. Unable to truly bring happiness and full bellies of hungry kids as Santa, Corwin’s only Christmas wish is for the “meek to inherit the Earth.”
Well, this is The Twilight Zone. Corwin is about to get his selfless wish granted.
Nearly 60 years after its premiere, “Night of the Meek” is a true classic not just from the series as a whole, but in pop culture altogether. For a simple 30-minute TV episode to stand the test of time and manage to give you all the damn feels, is something not to be ignored in the slightest. Forget waiting for that New Year’s marathon. Watch the episode here on Paramount Plus!
“And All Through the House”– “Tales From the Crypt”
To this day, I’m not sure if there are any other televised psycho Sandy Claws that tops the Cryptkeeper’s “And All Through the House” season one episode. Heavily considered in fandom as one of the best in the series, the June 10th, 1989 premiere is taken directly from the #35 Vault of Horror EC comic. Staying true to that 1950s eerie tale in the graphic mag, Director Robert Zemeckis and Monster Squad writer Fred Dekker begin the shenanigans with an even more horrifying than usual Cryptkeeper donning a Santa mask. (I’m pretty certain that was the most terrifying visual during the entire 22 minutes.)
Writer Dekker brings in his Monster Squad actress, the late Mary Ellen Trainor to portray a greedy wife who murdered her husband on Christmas Eve to gain insurance money. All while their daughter is upstairs anxiously waiting for the arrival of Santa. Lovely, eh? Well, karma is a mighty bitch and while the housewife of the year is dumping the body in the backyard, an escaped lunatic dressed as St. Nick attacks her. She narrowly escapes back to the house, but the deranged Kris Kringle is relentless in his attempts to give her a dose of Christmas justice.
Also, worth noting, Hollywood giant in Cinematography Dean Cundey worked on this episode. In case you’re unfamiliar, Cundey has provided his directorial photography skills to various John Carpenter classics such as Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing, Halloween II, Season of The Witch, and evenJurassic Park! Just a fun little fact I didn’t want you guys to miss. Speaking of, can we please get all the seasons streaming already with our literal 10,000 different subscribed services!? It’s 2022 and the fact Tales From The Crypt can’t get a home anywhere is beyond frustrating. The licensing issues shave gone on far too long and enough is enough. So thank ghouls that we have a FREE YOUTUBE upload here courtesy of Spooky Gals Corner.
The year is 1990. NASA had launched the Hubble Space Telescope, the Undertaker made his national debut at the WWF Survivor Series, and one of Stephen King’s greatest (and most controversial) novels was adapted into a visual nightmare that premiered as a two-part miniseries on ABC on November 18th, 1990. And to put it mildly, kids of the ’90s were never the same after seeing Pennywise on their large, boxy floor television set.
I remember quite vividly as a kid, being hyped up for this television horror event, and while my peers were entangled with the brand-new series Beverly Hills, 90210, all I could think about was this upcoming Stephen King movie about a killer clown. Mind you before you come at me, at this age, I had yet to read the book nor know anything about the story other than what I had seen via TV previews, as afterword I was to discover that Pennywise was more than a clown, and as a young horror nerd, I liked what I saw. So my eyeballs were ready, and after the first night of Part 1, I was both traumatized by a clown with a million teeth and my prepubescent body was enchanted by a young Jonathon Brandis. It was quite a new experience for a movie to both disturb me and set my loins aflame. Rather impressive, actually.
Outta my way, Bev. My heart burns there too.
My pre-teen admiration aside, STEPHEN KING’S “IT”, at the same time set the world on fire and brought about a resurgence in Coulrophobia (fear of clowns) in both young and old; however, for kids my age it begat a fear we never thought we may have, or much thought about and because of Tim Curry’s masterful performance, it ignited a long-standing match against anyone with a painted face of nightmares. I mean, let’s talk turkey since it’s November: I don’t know if it’s the makeup hiding their real faces; if it’s the sense of enforced fun, this idea that you’ve got to be laughing; or maybe it’s just that we don’t like anything that tricks us repeatedly, and makes us keep coming back for more. Clowns are fools who enjoy making others look foolish, after all. Nothing more distrustful and downright disrespectful than that. It’s as if this fear was hidden in our subconscious and awakened by Stephen King himself. So if clowns didn’t bother you before the premiere of 1990’s IT, they most likely had some sort of uneasy impact on you. Those are just facts.
And if you read the book after watching the miniseries, as many of us did, that didn’t help the cause much.
As long as the miniseries was, clocking in a total of 3 hours and 12 minutes, the experience of watching it seemed like an eternity, but in the best of ways, as Pennywise torments the Losers’ Club through his favorite clown apparition, a werewolf, a sewer-dwelling slime monster, and shape-shifting into seemingly normal inhabitants of Derry. Even IT’s final boss image of what is closest to his true self, a giant spider, with those awful effects that were almost unforgivable even in 1990, all that was merely background noise to Curry’s Pennywise the Dancing Clown and to this day if I were to ask you to paint me a picture of a scary clown, chances are you’re going to show me a picture of Pennywise.
The miniseries itself wasn’t a massive hit at first, but at the time, after the television airing, it was a whisper between kids at the playground that in turn fed into curiosity and ultimately a discovery of one hell of a new fear of clowns. The IT miniseries, among many of Stephen King’s works of the 90s, being adapted into television events like THE STAND, THE LANGOLIERS, and THE SHINING, outclassed them all regarding cult horror classics and mainstay power, and that is largely due to Tim Curry’s Pennywise performance at the end of the day with becoming a larger than life icon in the horror genre. So much so that when the remake was announced back in 2016, the million-dollar question was, “Who exactly has the balls to fill Tim Curry’s clown shoes as Pennywise”? It was Curry’s role and both charming and utterly terrifying rendition that gave an entire generation of kids nightmares and a lifelong fear of clowns. Curry’s ability to articulate the absolute joy in scaring the crap out of the children; children (the Losers’ Club) whom many of us could relate with in one way or another, is to this day unmatched. No matter how much budget you out into a movie, and I’m in no way knocking Skargard’s rendition of IT, but you can’t deny Curry’s study of this otherworldly monster and the impact he had on an entire generation and beyond. He was perfect.
Be proud of that, Tim. Fuck those kids.
Stephen King himself acknowledged, “his novel ‘IT’ probably contributed to your lifelong fear of clowns”, via the Los Angeles Times, and follows it up with, in so many words, “calm your tits, folks”. Real easy coming from a guy who also wrote in an extremely graphic child orgy into said novel. I think it’s safe to assume not a lot of things bother that man. And the resurgence of clown scares before the release of IT (2017), only validate that the character of Pennywise itself, harbors a tremendous influential power over our own psyche. That, in itself, is terrifying enough. To boot, we all know to steer clear of storm drains. Just another added phobia of sewers that at least half of 90s kids have.
