The Shop of Little Horrors: Horror on the Small Screen
Posted Today at 11:59 AM by Tony H
Updated Today at 12:10 PM by Tony H
Tags freddy's nightmares , television
The Shop of Little Horrors
Big Budget Films Make for Small Television Scares
In the late 80’s Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger were at the top of their box office game, bringing their respective studios a modicum of success in a relatively dry market. These characters were the go-to guys and sequel after sequel was being churned out.
It should not have come as a surprise that studio execs would eye the small screen as the next venture for the franchises in hopes to bleed dry any life remaining from the titles.
With the success of a Twilight zone reboot, Monsters, Tales from the Darkside and The Hitchhiker, late night syndicated programming proved to be fertile ground for Hollywood monsters.
The year was 1987 and producer Frank Mancuso, Jr. was working on brining a late night program entitled The 13th Hour to the small screen. The series would focus on two cousins who inherit from their Uncle Lewis an antique shop that sold cursed items.
--From the Prologue of the Series—
“Lewis Vendredi made a deal with the devil to sell cursed antiques. But he broke the pact and it cost him his soul. Now, his Niece Micki and her cousin Ryan have inherited the store…and with it the curse. Now they must get everything back and the real terror begins.”
The series could easily have stood on its own with this premise, but Mancuso, in an effort to draw viewers, adopted the moniker of the film franchise currently under his production belt: Friday the 13th.
____________________________________________________________
Read the rest of my horror on TV retrospective on my blog at www.genrefinity.net
Posted Today at 11:59 AM by Tony H
Updated Today at 12:10 PM by Tony H
Tags freddy's nightmares , television
The Shop of Little Horrors
Big Budget Films Make for Small Television Scares
In the late 80’s Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger were at the top of their box office game, bringing their respective studios a modicum of success in a relatively dry market. These characters were the go-to guys and sequel after sequel was being churned out.
It should not have come as a surprise that studio execs would eye the small screen as the next venture for the franchises in hopes to bleed dry any life remaining from the titles.
With the success of a Twilight zone reboot, Monsters, Tales from the Darkside and The Hitchhiker, late night syndicated programming proved to be fertile ground for Hollywood monsters.
The year was 1987 and producer Frank Mancuso, Jr. was working on brining a late night program entitled The 13th Hour to the small screen. The series would focus on two cousins who inherit from their Uncle Lewis an antique shop that sold cursed items.
--From the Prologue of the Series—
“Lewis Vendredi made a deal with the devil to sell cursed antiques. But he broke the pact and it cost him his soul. Now, his Niece Micki and her cousin Ryan have inherited the store…and with it the curse. Now they must get everything back and the real terror begins.”
The series could easily have stood on its own with this premise, but Mancuso, in an effort to draw viewers, adopted the moniker of the film franchise currently under his production belt: Friday the 13th.
____________________________________________________________
Read the rest of my horror on TV retrospective on my blog at www.genrefinity.net
“I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum.”
Certified 100% Serious
My love for the television movie/pilot "FEAR NO EVIL" starring Louis Jourdan is an illustration for a proposed series (to be called "THE BEDEVILED"). But because, as told me by Gary (PUMPKINHEAD) Gerani the series exploring the darker side of the occult might not be watched by some viewers (this being 1969) as they would be offended.
Pacal Wrote:That was the late 80's? What was I doing watching that when I was 11?
I really did like this show and should put it on my rental list. The DVD's are available now!
I just purchased the first season for 33.00 at deepdiscountdvd.com They have free shipping too, what a bargain. I will get season 2 on payday. I hope the show is as good as I remember.
“I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum.”
Certified 100% Serious
I loved Friday the 13th. I was always confused why they would title it that if it had nothing to do with Jason Voorhees, but then again, I wonder if I would have watched had the title been different.
And I'm absolutely certain Freddy's Nightmares didn't rock as much as I remember. The only one I really can recall was the one about Freddy's girlfriend.
And I'm absolutely certain Freddy's Nightmares didn't rock as much as I remember. The only one I really can recall was the one about Freddy's girlfriend.
They passed an old woman who was just opening the door of a brown Cadillac. An old man was already sitting in the passenger seat. The car had a personalized plate with the letters “J-U-S-P-R-A-Y”.
“That stuff work?” Israel said to her.
“‘Scuse me?” the little old woman said, clutching her keys.
“The spray. Does it keep them away?”
“Keep who away?” She looked confused.
“I gotcha.” Israel gave her a conspiratorial wink.
www.feelmyghost.webs.com
I enjoyed the show myself and the episode "SCARLET CINEMA" in which The Wolf Man is called into our room. In fact, I understand one of the reasons the show was pulled because Universal sued for the producers failed to put credit/trademark captions of the movie/music footage at the end credits!
Hey Tony:
The very first spec teleplay I ever wrote was for this tv show!
It is titled "Et Tu Brubaker" and yes, I actually tried to submit it to the makers of the program. I had managed to find a telephone contact in their production office up in Canada only to be told that the show was winding down as it had been cancelled. Talk about terrible timing (though of course the odds were still against me making a sale even had the show not been cancelled...heck, I didn't even have an agent).
What impressed me about that show was how it improved over its short run.
An increased budget was obvious in its final season as better quality storylines appeared, and special effects and sets improved.
And life goes on...
Mike
The very first spec teleplay I ever wrote was for this tv show!
It is titled "Et Tu Brubaker" and yes, I actually tried to submit it to the makers of the program. I had managed to find a telephone contact in their production office up in Canada only to be told that the show was winding down as it had been cancelled. Talk about terrible timing (though of course the odds were still against me making a sale even had the show not been cancelled...heck, I didn't even have an agent).
What impressed me about that show was how it improved over its short run.
An increased budget was obvious in its final season as better quality storylines appeared, and special effects and sets improved.
And life goes on...
Mike
AsMoral Wrote: The Shop of Little Horrors: Horror on the Small Screen
Posted Today at 11:59 AM by Tony H
Updated Today at 12:10 PM by Tony H
Tags freddy's nightmares , television
The Shop of Little Horrors
Big Budget Films Make for Small Television Scares
In the late 80’s Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger were at the top of their box office game, bringing their respective studios a modicum of success in a relatively dry market. These characters were the go-to guys and sequel after sequel was being churned out.
It should not have come as a surprise that studio execs would eye the small screen as the next venture for the franchises in hopes to bleed dry any life remaining from the titles.
With the success of a Twilight zone reboot, Monsters, Tales from the Darkside and The Hitchhiker, late night syndicated programming proved to be fertile ground for Hollywood monsters.
The year was 1987 and producer Frank Mancuso, Jr. was working on brining a late night program entitled The 13th Hour to the small screen. The series would focus on two cousins who inherit from their Uncle Lewis an antique shop that sold cursed items.
--From the Prologue of the Series—
“Lewis Vendredi made a deal with the devil to sell cursed antiques. But he broke the pact and it cost him his soul. Now, his Niece Micki and her cousin Ryan have inherited the store…and with it the curse. Now they must get everything back and the real terror begins.”
The series could easily have stood on its own with this premise, but Mancuso, in an effort to draw viewers, adopted the moniker of the film franchise currently under his production belt: Friday the 13th.
____________________________________________________________
Read the rest of my horror on TV retrospective on my blog at www.genrefinity.net
This post was last modified: 03-01-2009, 05:21 PM by Mike Hanson.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]MICHAEL H. HANSON
https://www.facebook.com/michael.h.hanson.3
http://www.copperdogpublishing.com
Mike Hanson Wrote:Hey Tony:
The very first spec teleplay I ever wrote was for this tv show!
It is titled "Et Tu Brubaker" and yes, I actually tried to submit it to the makers of the program. I had managed to find a telephone contact in their production office up in Canada only to be told that the show was winding down as it had been cancelled. Talk about terrible timing (though of course the odds were still against me making a sale even had the show not been cancelled...heck, I didn't even have an agent).
What impressed me about that show was how it improved over its short run.
An increased budget was obvious in its final season as better quality storylines and special effects and sets improved.
And life goes on...
Mike
Great story Mike! I would have liked to see the screenplay. What cursed artifact did you have in your script?
I am glad I am not the only one fond of this show. It really did hurt my feelings when it first aired...I was expecting Jason. Time healed those wounds and i soon accepted the show as great fun and thrills and some clever and violent stories.
Yes, it did get better as time went on, and great care was taken to ensure continuity. Not at all like the Jason films that tossed continuity out the window with reckless abandon.
“I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum.”
Certified 100% Serious
Hey Tony:
The object was a Roman Command Baton (those little hand-held ivory columns with a bronze eagle on one end).
The head of a Shakespearian acting troupe would use it to kill ordinary people and it would absorb their emotional state at the time it was used. Then, on the night of one of Shakespeare's plays, he would inject the emotions into his stage actors, who would end up giving brilliant performances. Example: he tracked a young couple in love, through a park, and then killed them in liplock embrace, and then used the power of the baton to enhance the performance of the actors in Romeo and Juliet.
The Director gets his comeuppance in the end while performing the lead in "Julius Caesar" and a mixup with assassin prop knives, combined with the power of the baton which had inadertently absorbed the emotions of an earlier murder ends up promoting an all too real recreation of Julius Caesar's assassination.
There is also a humorous B-story where Ryan is relentlessly and amorously pursued by a most annoying and shallow female actor in the troupe.
Maybe I can mail you a hardcopy of it some time. I figure who better to appreciate it then a fan of the show.
Mike
The object was a Roman Command Baton (those little hand-held ivory columns with a bronze eagle on one end).
The head of a Shakespearian acting troupe would use it to kill ordinary people and it would absorb their emotional state at the time it was used. Then, on the night of one of Shakespeare's plays, he would inject the emotions into his stage actors, who would end up giving brilliant performances. Example: he tracked a young couple in love, through a park, and then killed them in liplock embrace, and then used the power of the baton to enhance the performance of the actors in Romeo and Juliet.
The Director gets his comeuppance in the end while performing the lead in "Julius Caesar" and a mixup with assassin prop knives, combined with the power of the baton which had inadertently absorbed the emotions of an earlier murder ends up promoting an all too real recreation of Julius Caesar's assassination.
There is also a humorous B-story where Ryan is relentlessly and amorously pursued by a most annoying and shallow female actor in the troupe.
Maybe I can mail you a hardcopy of it some time. I figure who better to appreciate it then a fan of the show.
Mike
AsMoral Wrote:Great story Mike! I would have liked to see the screenplay. What cursed artifact did you have in your script?
I am glad I am not the only one fond of this show. It really did hurt my feelings when it first aired...I was expecting Jason. Time healed those wounds and i soon accepted the show as great fun and thrills and some clever and violent stories.
Yes, it did get better as time went on, and great care was taken to ensure continuity. Not at all like the Jason films that tossed continuity out the window with reckless abandon.
This post was last modified: 03-01-2009, 12:28 AM by Mike Hanson.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]MICHAEL H. HANSON
https://www.facebook.com/michael.h.hanson.3
http://www.copperdogpublishing.com
Horror On Television:
The Peaks and Valleys of the Medium
Take a beautiful well-respected teenage girl, a daughter of a highly respected small town attorney and portray her as a popular high school cheerleader who is dating the high school football captain. Display her as the all-American teen dream, beautiful, and of course she must be the homecoming queen.
Now rip her life apart. Expose that she is a prostitute, a drug addict, a survivor of rape and a raging cocaine addiction that led her to cheat on her boyfriend and sell herself out to support her habit. Then…kill her.
Toss in a cast of bizarre characters who rip apart the fabric of a small town exposing a corrupt underbelly of deceit, lies, and horrors. Strange cryptic dreams, hallucinations and a character called Killer BOB all merge together to wreak havoc on the sanity of a FBI agent brought in to investigate the murder of said local teen.
Read the rest of the article on My Blog only on [URL="http://www.repairmanjack.com/forum/www.genrefinity.net"]Genrefinity.net
[/URL]
The Peaks and Valleys of the Medium
Take a beautiful well-respected teenage girl, a daughter of a highly respected small town attorney and portray her as a popular high school cheerleader who is dating the high school football captain. Display her as the all-American teen dream, beautiful, and of course she must be the homecoming queen.
Now rip her life apart. Expose that she is a prostitute, a drug addict, a survivor of rape and a raging cocaine addiction that led her to cheat on her boyfriend and sell herself out to support her habit. Then…kill her.
Toss in a cast of bizarre characters who rip apart the fabric of a small town exposing a corrupt underbelly of deceit, lies, and horrors. Strange cryptic dreams, hallucinations and a character called Killer BOB all merge together to wreak havoc on the sanity of a FBI agent brought in to investigate the murder of said local teen.
Read the rest of the article on My Blog only on [URL="http://www.repairmanjack.com/forum/www.genrefinity.net"]Genrefinity.net
[/URL]
This post was last modified: 03-02-2009, 01:28 PM by Tony H.
“I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum.”
Certified 100% Serious