A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss

[SiHart]

Coming to BBC 4. I thought this would be of interest to more than a few on PS:

A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss

Monday 11 October
9:00pm - 10:00pm
BBC4
Frankenstein Goes to Hollywood

1/3

New series. The League of Gentlemen star celebrates horror films, beginning with those produced during the golden age of Hollywood. He finds out how the succession of classic pictures that were made from the 1920s to 1940s defined the genre, and explores the threat posed by the rise of science fiction movies in the post-war atomic era. Among the films examined are Phantom of the Opera, Dracula and Frankenstein.

Followed by :


Bride of Frankenstein

Monday 11 October
10:00pm - 11:10pm
BBC4

James Whale's extravagantly produced sequel to his own Frankenstein still ranks as one of horrordom's greatest achievements. From his wittily eccentric direction and Elsa Lanchester's electric hairdo, to Ernest Thesiger's ingenious portrayal of the perverse Dr Pretorius and Boris Karloff's alternately poignant and pushy monster, it's a class act from amazing start to religious-slanted finish.

Subtitled, Black & White
Cast

* Monster - Boris Karloff
* Henry Frankenstein - Colin Clive
* Elizabeth - Valerie Hobson
* Doctor Pretorius - Ernest Thesiger
* Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / Monster's mate - Elsa Lanchester
* Lord Byron - Gavin Gordon
* Percy Bysshe Shelley - Douglas Walton
* Minnie - Una O'Connor
* Burgomaster - E E Clive
* Butler - Lucien Prival
* Hermit - O P Heggie
* Karl - Dwight Frye
* Hans - Reginald Barlow
* Neighbour - Walter Brennan
* Hunter - John Carradine

Directed by: James Whale
Filmed in: 1935

Si xx

[WhiteCrowNZ]

The Bride of Frankenstein is a legend. In fact everything around Frankenstein is pretty fascinating - I remember first reading the book in the 90s and was blown away by it. And of course Gods and Monsters - the film with Ian McKellan about the fictionalised last years of director James Whale's life is pretty much a "must see" too.

Mark Gatiss is probably a perfect person to lead this. Some of his sketches in League of Gentlemen showed his dark and horrific sense of humour ...

[Jonno]

I've seen a trailer for this a couple of times in the last few days, and it immediately piqued my interest. Nice to see Bride follows - I've seen it once many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, much more so than the original film which I was fairly disappointed with. I'll be watching both, though the docu can go on Catch Up as it clashes with Spooks.

[MacNimon]

That sounds great...it's right up my street!

[Jonno]

The film Cat People is on BBC4 next Wednesday night 10.45pm and I Walked With A Zombie at midnight next Thursday night, preceded by a repeat showing of the Mark Gatiss documentary at 11pm and followed by Bride again at 1.05am.

Can't say I've ever seen I Walked before - might be one for the recorder!

[SiHart]

There's a Q&A with Mark about his horror favourites and the series here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vcwm7

Si xx

[Paul Monk]

I Walked with a Zombie is a genuinely creepy film as is Cat People. Both are highly recommended.
Bride of Frankenstein is brilliant but very camp.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

Remember the good old days when Vampires were blood sucking monsters, not misunderstood romantics???

Ah my pet peeve - the rise of the teen vampire romance ...

[Paul Monk]

I know. Vampires used to be the baddies.

I enjoyed the interview with Gatiss. I think his tastes are going to be very similar to mine and he mentions the film Martin, which is one of my favourite horror films. Vastly under-rated imo. I've no idea if its had a dvd release. Might haqve to dig out my VHS copy.

[Paul Monk]

Just checked and it is on dvd!

[Larry]

didn't watch it but i'm just gowing to download it from i-player to watch later.i

[Perry Vale]

I wasn't going to watch this, even though it sounded really interesting, as I've too much to watch at the moment. However I changed my mind and started watching it on iPlayer, and will now record the repeat on thursday.

It was brilliant, and really good fun. Gatiss is perfect for this, as others have mentioned, and I loved his comment that he used to watch 'Pro-Celebrity Golf' in case Christopher Lee might pop up!

[stuartdg]

Thoroughly enjoyed this,it's prompted me to order Uinversal's Frankenstein,Dracula,The Mummy,The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man on dvd!

[WhiteCrowNZ]

I remember always having a certain liking for the Wolf Man as a child. Bride of Frankenstein is an absolute classic though. You know the guy who played Doctor Frankenstein broke his leg, so many of his scenes are sitting down? He does a brilliant line in "it's alive, alive I tell you".

[Jonno]

This was extremely entertaining with loads of good clips and some fascinating interviews - notably interviewing the centenarian survivor from an 80 year old film! MG made for an engaging presenter who didn't hog the camera but knew what he was talking about too.

This week's films are The Brides of Dracula tomorrow night at 10 (not sure if I've seen this, certainly not recently!) and The Quatermass Xperiment on Weds night 10.45 (classic).

Talking of MG, he's co-starring in and written The First Men in the Moon, Tuesday night 9pm also on BBC4, which sounds intriguing.

[SiHart]

We watched the first episode last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Mark Gatiss is so good at these kind of things- his naration and presentatyion was warm and witty and spot on throughout.

I wish I'd recorded the Bride of Frankenstein now- that looked great!

Si xx

[Dino]

Watched the second episode last night. And this is a pretty good series.
Although I still laugh when Edward Woodward panics and swears when he sees the Wicker Man. I get the drama of the situation but it still gets to me. And not in the way the producers probably want to?

And oh my word! Was that poor Zoe getting raped in the clip from "Blood On Satan's Claw"?

[Dirk Gently]

Probably. She had a hard acting life.

[P-Bal]

She was adopted by Meg in Crossroads.

[Larry]

. i've watched both parts 1 and 2 via the i-player and have thoroughly enjoyed it so far.