History of Midnight Ghost Shows - Monster Madness X movie review #29
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- This is one of my favorite Monster Madness installments this year, focusing on a somewhat forgotten era of LIVE horror fun that encompasses everything that is Halloween.
Monster Madness X October 29th #retro #retrogaming #nes #snes #jamesrolfe #mikematei #atari #playthrough #gameplay #gamereview
When my mom was a teenager, she got to see House on Haunted Hill with buzzers in the seats and a flying skeleton during the final scenes. Back then it scared the heck out of her. She showed me that movie hoping to get the same reaction out of me by turning off the lights, sitting behind me on the couch, grabbing me during the jumpscare scenes (the ghostly caretaker's appearance) and she had this small Halloween skeleton she dangled in front of me during the skeleton scene. I was really young so it all scared the dickens out of me. She then told me about her theater experience. The whole thing was amazing and makes me sad that I'll never get to witness that.
Nice man!
Stupid autocorrect. That's CARETAKER not RETAILER.
FatSynthDude holy shit you have a committed mom
That's so cute. I respect that like crazy that your mom went through that effort to share something special to her with her son.
Your mom is a good woman!
As a matter of fact, I don't have to imagine....
I was lucky enough to be at an age to have ACTUALLY ATTENDED one of these 'Midnight Spook Shows'! It was me and a few of my cousins; I'm not sure of the date, but since I was born in 1969 (and I wasn't a teenager yet), it had to have been during the 70's. I'll never forget it: half of it was the feature film 'THE BLOB' and the later half was the Spook Show. They did the bit with 'LIVE SNAKES RELEASED IN THE THEATER!' (some hidden object moving along the floor and touching our ankles gimmick) and then actors in full well-done monster makeup interacting with the audience. The crowd ate it up with squeals, screams, and cheers - absolute pure pandemonium! I'll ALWAYS remember that.... my asshat cousins teased me about it for weeks! Hell, I never forgot that ear-worm Blob theme song & sang it as a kid, lol)
Truly A Wonderful Unique Childhood Experience! :D
I'll put this as reason #2432 for why I need a working time machine
Bruh I just found my man tekking in a cinemassacre comment section
@@goofman4332 bruh same
what are the other 2431 reasons?
...I did not expect to see this guy here, not gonna lie
One of the most unique entries in all of the past Monster Madness.
I agree
He mentioned it before in Monsters Crash the Pajama party from his 3th Monster Madness. A must see if you like this one
TheErwinator "3th"?
He's gonna take you back to the past
James could teach a friggin class on this stuff. He seems to have endless knowledge on the subject. Great video, as usual.
I would enroll in the class
James is a Legend
I laugh my ass off everytime the skeleton pushes the chick into the water in the intro. I don't know why but it's really funny to me.
That's from House on Haunted Hill, I saw it when I was a kid, me and my cousin bought it at the Dollarstore. She's being pushed into acid by a puppet skeleton that Vincent Price is using to trick her.
Dustin Hamilton does she die? is it gnarly?
James of Menifee shes is being pushed into acid. so yes. It isn't gnarly though.
Same here. Love that movie too.
I know
The "Monsters Crash The Pajama Party" DVD by Something Weird Video, has become a seasonal favorite for me.
All thanks to Monster Madness 3.
As it's closing in on the 31st, I am getting sadder and sadder knowing this is probably the last full Monster Madness.
Santiago Gambarottaspatola James said a while ago in a video that monster madness is great but it takes away so much time from making other videos. so he said this year will be the last one.
D. S. Although he did say later on he'll just make mini monster madnesses.
B-Movies Strike Back Yeah but never a full one again. At least for the near future.
Please, do more James...Please
He has a decades worth. go back and watch them all on his website.
Isn't this his tenth one
"History of Midnight Ghost Shows" is my favorite fucking horror movie...
6349 256 I know right predicting top comment.
Nope, not top
D-man the captain 😂
All joking aside I’d probably enjoy it more than any horror movie, for instance it’s seemingly interactive and seemingly real wether you believe it or not.
There's a great story about the bit Castle did with The Tingler...he had buzzers installed on some of the seats, and at a certain point in the film, they'd go off...sometimes. Or the buzz was too powerful and sent people flying out of their seats. Along with this is the more natural scare, Vincent Price once came in during a showing and sat in the last row. Right in front of him were two teen girls who were very into the film. As the film ended, Price leaned forward and asked them how they liked the picture...they went into orbit!!
Thank you for putting a spotlight on this amazing piece of history James!
This reminds me of the "Alien" Live show at Disney world I saw about 15 years ago. I was 9 and It scared the shit out of me because they had the lights go out and a guy in a really realistic Alien costume go around the stage and pop out of different places killing the Characters of the show. I had nightmares for weeks haha.
DaCanary They had a live show based on Alien at fucking Disneyworld?
DaCanary I call bullshit because Alien is a 20th Century Fox property
I think I saw "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" at Disney World 17 years ago, I remember everyone screaming that there were mice. I was 5 so I had my feet up on the seat.
Hey, they have Star Wars and Avatarland.
They were actually hoping to get the rights when they thought up the attraction, but FOX said no, so they came up with their own monster.
Thanks for preserving this little piece of multimedia history! #HappyHalloween
one of the most fascinating episodes ever! I love knowing about old culture phenomenons specially coming from such a lover of the genre! Really interesting!
I didn't know that sort of theater play dated to the thirties, I only knew about the William Castle stuff. I can imagine it was very effective during the Great Depression.
I'm glad you shined a light on a forgotten past time. Best segment this year, by far!
Hands down James Rolfe is one of the best film historians ever! I really want to see more talks in future episodes about history I never knew it existed in movies.
Our town's theatre still has the classic "opera house" look inside, and some friends of mine and I have talked about doing one of these some Halloween. It would work best if it were a Friday or Saturday, then we could do a really late show. Show old movies, have entertainers, and just live out the ghost show properly. Alas, as others have stated, not many in the modern audience would go for it. Most people are too jaded to to enjoy something so pure, and with a late show like that, you're sure to get unruly jagoffs who just want to ruin things for others. Still, I'd love to give it a try.
if the ghost show lead to horror hosts and then that gave birth to monster vision which itself in turn gave birth to monster madness. then in a way monster madness has a lineage that dates right back to these extinct ghost shows. so for this year especially it seems to one again come full circle. when it comes to James' sentiment about each medium leading to another it seems as though monster madness was one way that the ghost show could live on today's medium of the internet with James being a different type of horror host. and because of James I've become a horror host of sorts, always showing my friends horror movies telling them horror trivia and just generally being the go to guy when it comes to classic horror. ghosts shows still live on in part because of your contributions. thx james.
shame monster madness is nearly over :(
Everything ends eventually.
Like he said, one thing transitions into another
Nothing Gold Can Stay Ponyboy
last full monster madness too :(
+The Dork Knight What do you mean? Has James announced quitting the project for good? I hope not!
It's a shame that shows like this aren't as popular anymore, can you imagine how amazing they'd be in Modern Theatres?
Can you imagine what was in that glow in the dark paint back then? Like plutonium or something
Don't worry folks. James won't stop talking about the things he loves. Maybe it's the last Monster Madness, but he will keep making movie reviews. 10 years of any internet show is a BIG archievement. Thank you, James
This looks like it was a fun thing to do back in the day. If I had liver through those times I would have gone to one of those.
I remember buying the Monsters Crash the Pajama Party Dvd... and smoking so much weed I got lost in all the extras on it that I actually didn't see the title movie until the next night. Seriously, if Rolfe turns you on to Midnight Ghost Shows, track down a full copy of that DVD. It even has a little booklet about one guy's remembrance of this era.
That little booklet was written by my dad
Jim Ridenour
The funny thing is the social clime of that time period makes a lot more sense to me than the one we have today, even though I never experienced it personally.
I wasn't even born when Ghost Shows exist in theaters in the 1930's through the 1970's. Back then, they used to run a mixed bag of cartoons and serials where they used to be shown in theaters during the morning rush when kids are in school seeing a Bugs Bunny cartoon or a Disney cartoon as well as other cartoon shorts from multiple studios as well. When a series of stuff ended around noon, it goes into a feature movie. There were fun events that happened back then. They used to have kiddie shows where they played cartoons during the carnival or at a drive-in theater at night where they played cartoons during intermissions. A lot of fans remember the "Intermission" films used in Drive-In theaters, you should find it on RUclips. They had lots of great stuff on there, and there were tons of them included.
My dad actually saw The Tingler with the effects in the 70's, so clearly they were doing something like it. Pretty cool information to know though.
For a great peak at what these movie palaces looked like in action at the time they existed - while it's not *quite* a horror movie, I recommend checking out Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr. It's about a projectionist who dreams he's a great detective while a movie plays, and it does some really great camera tricks where Keaton physically exits the movie-in-a-movie as it plays on the screen and runs around in the orchestra pit.
Ghost Shows came from Grand Guinol theater actually, which existed from back in 1800's. Felt like this needed to be mentioned.
Imagine a show like this but with something like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Now that would be a thrill.
Funnily enough my local theatre did something like this last year. Just a small venue of like a hundred people maybe. It had the whole blackout thing, the stage show aspect, all the little crowd interaction things. Can't remember what it was called. It didn't do the showing a horror movie after though which was a shame. Mire places should do things like this.
My grandpa used to go to these shows with hard boiled eggs and throw them at the monsters.
Critically Insane love your avatar dude
I had the privilege of seeing the 60's movie classic " Maniacs on the Loose" when I was a little kid and I remember actual "Maniacs" in the audience. It was definitely different and it was at midnight. I was little and I got scared
Can we get like a 2 hour special for Halloween?
Tyler Tyler.
Awesome piece of history there. I’m really enjoying your film study related videos, where you are looking at older horror and sci fi with good use of your film knowledge and experience in your commentary. Thumbs up.
James NEEDS to host a horror TV show where he introduces classic horror films and talks about their history. I'd pay for cable to watch that.
05:08 "See the materialization of James Dean"?? Wow :-)
Part of what you're describing (the part that occurs in darkness) is what began in the 1700s as a "Phantasmagoria". Many of these took place in rooms built underground, to ensure complete darkness.
Imagine the lawsuits if you tried to put on a ghost show today.
Definitely one of my favourite Monster Madness reviews you've ever done, James! I always love getting history lessons on film from you, especially when it's such a unique part of the movie-going experience like this.
Something very similar to this experience was at Disneyworld until 2003 called the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter in Tommorowland. It's been rebranded to "Stitch's Great Escape" but it involves being put in the dark while an alien moves around the room with you. It was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced.
Damn shame I can't go back in time.
At least some of these old shows survive, in a way. I watch Svengoolie every Saturday night; although that show, while horror-themed, is more 'comedy interspersed throughout the horror' rather than horror building on horror, he does play all the classic Universal and Hammer horror films, and the show has run on-and-off since 1970. Here's hoping such shows continue, so future generations get a chance to enjoy these great classics like I did.
Phillip Morris as Dr. Evil. very fitting.
Great video James! it's a ashame how much of our history is so easily lost and forgotten. thank you for the book recommendation, I look foward to checking it out.
Rocky Horror Picture Show seemed to pay a lot of tribute to these movie palace ideas of actors getting up and reacting to the movie as it plays, dancing and costumes and props and all that.
For the love of God, I went to see a The Room screening and you could throw spoons, people got up and waved to Tommy Wiseau everytime he looked off screen, some people even dressed in tuxedoes and threw footballs so while the popularity of these types of shows have waned, midnight movie screenings still exist and they aren't going anytime soon.
It's informative videos like this that'll keep me on this channel till i grow old lol
Last time I came this early, she never called me back for a second date.
Last time I came this late, half my friends got killed by Nappa!
Damn, this jumping up creature gets me every time.
I feel like this would make for a cool movie premise.
It kinda was. A few days ago James mentioned a movie about moviegoing in the 50s called "Matinee".
Father AxeKeeper
Sir, you have the most awesome Heavy Metal name I have seen on this site in a long time.
I rarely leave comments, but i have to say that this was probably the best video for this years monster madness. Thanks for sharing all this interesting info
I have to say, this is an incredible video. I didn't know about the movie palace stuff. On this topic, a lesser man would have just talked about William Castle and called it a day.
R.I.P. Zacherley. It's probably a coincidence he was mentioned in today's upload, but I'm glad he got acknowledged.
I always love and appreciate your history lessons, James.
My local theater is one of the longest running if not the longest running theater in Canada and you see alot of these things :> They even till he died had a organist that would play music before the movie started.
Monster Madness is absolutely great. This is going to be a good horror movie reference for times to come.
I can imagine James doing something like that if he makes a new Halloween AVGN or Board James and showed it at some theaters lol
My favorite of those horror host was Chilly Billy of Chiller Theater in Pittsburgh. Real name Bill Cardille he was the reporter in Night of the Living Dead and his daughter starred in Day of the Dead. His Chiller Theater was so popular Pittsburgh didn't get Saturday Night Live until 1979 and only then when NBC threatened the local affiliate.
We had Professor Morte's Silver Scream Spook Show here in Atlanta until a few years ago, live show followed by old horror movies. I miss it every day!
My local theater in my hometown still has a stage, They still do plays and other performances on it.
when James talks about a saturated market and a lot of ppl trying to make a quick buck it really reminds me of the indi video game market today
Only two more left and monster madness is done forever. That makes me sad, but I do know that you and Mike work really hard to make great content. Monster Madness has been a fun run, and this has been a great farewell to a great series. Love you guys :-)
I think it would work better today. With the technology and the fact retro stuff always is popular. Bring it back!
I see people using those kiosk movie rentals, just a vending machine for movies, and I wonder how long that will last; having to go out to see a movie. Even movie theaters are dying. With the internet you don't even have to leave your home to see most popular movies. And with video games getting so intelligent and interactive, and paradigm shifts in computing from quantum computing to memristors, I think that the age of 'film' is coming to an end, and going toward fully-interactive virtual reality. In that sense, it will be kind of like visiting these old shows again, but instead of the actors interacting with the audience, now everyone in the audience can interact with the actors, at once. Pretty amazing actually. I'm actually looking forward to the changes that are coming, while still being fond of my childhood memories in the 80s just as everything was going 'digital'. It makes me wonder if the accelerating growth in innovation will make people feel older at younger ages, as their dedicated forms of communication become obsolete at an increasing rate.
My father was in The Spook Show Business and produced and directed the documentary on the spookshow business Spooks apapun with something strange video
Thank you for the likes
Easily one of the best cinemassacre videos
When you make another movie you should do something on Ghost Shows. It's an important part of horror history and it could make for a great self-contained horror movie! It even has a great title to use...
Tales from the Crypt, is an example of a intro to an episode.
I wish I was born back then to experience this!
I agree James!
This was cool man. History goodness.
Thanks for this very interesting video. :-)
My father was in the spookshow business!
This is a brilliant video: it gives informations that could hardly be found elsewhere, about a funny topic. Instead of following trends and provide contents that are already shown everywhere, this video is actually giving audiences something.
you make a good point about the social climate having an impact on how these ghost shows were experienced by the individuals. nevertheless I'd LOVE to go to one! in the UK Halloween isn't such a well celebrated holiday as it is in the US, which means it's more likely that if anyone did recreate a horror show it'd happen there and not here :( it's a shame. I was in the shop on Halloween looking at Halloween candy, this was at like 5:30pm, and they were literally taking down he Halloween stuff and replacing it with Xmas stuff as I watched!!!! I found it a little depressing especially wince they already had a whole row of Xmas stuff opposite the Halloween stuff :'( I still have my Halloween decorations up. I want to make it last as long as possible lol
Fascinating stuff!
Seen every Monster Madness... I don't want it to end. James, your the best for keeping this alive! For those of us that grew up on Monster Vision and our grandparents horror flicks, Monster Madness has become part of the tradition as well. Thanks man!
We still use these methods with things like Rocky horror picture show and repo the generic opera. Any films that can be quickly adapted with screamer lines and modified for stage and screen work well
My grandfather tells me about these show.
I didnt know any of this. Awesome work thanks!
This reminds me of your lost films episode. Both, in my opinion, are some of my favorite works of yours and are very important. Top notch, James. You only make the best.
I have a theater where I live that is a one screen. Old theater that still has the stage just a screen dropped from the ceiling. And speakers were added back in the 1970s or so. The speakers have not been changed since then. It is a really old theater .
That was just plain interesting as hell. I had no clue such things were going on in the 30's. It reminded me of a shock-rock show, like Alice Cooper.
I was surprised he didn't mention Screaming Jay Hawkins or Alice Cooper. That ties in perfectly.
James should totaly try recreation of this kind of show. i can already see it. See tonight the terror that lurks in this haunted theatre, ghouls come to party only tonight, at midnight none can save you, for Dr. James Rolfereel comes to operate on the audience and his assistant MIKE!!!
Some of the stuff from these shows might make for an interesting virtual reality experience. Well, assuming that the headset is comfortable enough to wear for a couple hours.
I’ve read that these shows are where the confusion over Igor being the name of Dr. Frankenstein’s assistant originated.
I went to one of these back in my day. I got robbed when the lights went out...
if im alive by the time time travel is invented...ill go back to the 50s and see a ghost show
Time Travel will never exist. get over it.
Time Travel will exist, just not untill everyone who is on earth right now has died
good luck trying to guess the position of the Earth to avoid traveling to empty space or ending in the middle of a rock or a person!
These need to be brought back as amusement park attractions.
Late night TV horror hosts are what I thought this video was going to be about
This was a very meaningful documentary, and IMHO the highlight of this Monster Madness.
Thanks a lot for this, James. I find your informative videos, like this and Sword Quest, to be my favourites.
There are also magicians doing "Spook Show Revivals" at various art house & community theaters. Showing classic horror films. Given the climate and how much has changed in movies, they're instead family fare.
Can't help but feel in some communities in the country this type of thing still exists.
They could at least do it for Halloween anyway.
someone should really bring these back in force
These shows also live on through Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights.
Only two days left. I'm not ready for it to end!
James, wouldn't this be a good idea for a mini documentary on this era? You could seek out older people who attended these events and incorporate oral history.
I did not know that. And so Monster Madness goes the way of the classic Ghost Shows.....
Very interesting journey to history of cinema! Thanks James.