Ep 148 - HOMICIDAL & MR. SARDONICUS (1961): The Gimmicks and Ghouls of WILLIAM CASTLE!!

HOMICIDAL (1961) d. William Castle (USA) MR. SARDONICUS (1961) d. William Castle (USA) Few filmmakers in American horror are remembered as vividly—or as superficially—as William Castle. Mention his name and most movie fans immediately think of outrageous theatrical gimmicks: skeletons flying over audiences, theater seats rigged with buzzing devices, or insurance policies handed out in the lobby. But the enduring popularity of those gimmicks has also has had the unfortunate effect of overshadowing the films themselves. This becomes especially evident when discussing 1961's Homicidal and Mr. Sardonicus. Both films demonstrate a director refining his approach while still embracing his flair for audience participation. Homicidal, Castle's audacious answer to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, combines lurid storytelling with genuinely unsettling atmosphere, prompting an onscreen "Fright Break" just before the climax, while Mr. Sardonicus delivers a stylish Gothic morality tale wrapped inside one of Castle's most famous interactive gimmicks, The Punishment Poll. Castle understood pacing, audience psychology, and the uniquely communal thrill of watching horror with a crowd. The gimmicks may have brought audiences into the theater, but it is the movies themselves that have kept us entertained for generations. Join us AC and his Castle Freaks (Jessica Dwyer, Matt Harding, Dan Kiggins, John Pata) as we celebrate 65 years of HOMICIDAL and MR. SARDONICUS!! -------------------------------------------------------- JESSICA DWYER was raised on a diet of Dark Shadows, Doctor Who, and a lot of things she saw way too young.  She's been writing for nearly a quarter of a century about the world of entertainment and her own fiction (and that sound you heard was her bones turning to dust.) She works for the JoBlo Network, HorrorHound Magazine, and is a producer on a number of projects. MATT HARDING is the special events coordinator and regional warrior for Severin Films. He has been an English/Literature teacher for middle school for 22 years. He also is a huge collector of William Castle memorabilia. DAN KIGGINS has worked on a number of independent features, shorts, TV shows, and innumerable commercials over the past 15 years as a Jack of all trades. A self-proclaimed cinephile, he has a vast collection of film ephemera including over 3000 movies. JOHN PATA lives in Wisconsin. He's made some horror films, he's hosted some horror stuff, and he's read some horror books.   ---------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!