J.S. Phillips
Bio
Horror movie fanatic. I write about horror movies and occasionally other avenues of fear.
Stories (2/0)
Horror Radio: A Forgotten Source of Serious Scares
In the time before television, home entertainment for most people around the world meant radio. From the national news to soap operas, the radio was in the early half of the 20th century what television would later become. Among the offerings for the listeners’ listening pleasure were horror shows. Most people are familiar with Orson Welles’ Halloween night broadcast of The War of the Worlds in 1939, which (supposedly) sent a large segment of America into a panic. But that was just one episode of Welle’s radio show Mercury Theatre, which, along with shows like Lux Radio Theatre produced radio plays in various genres. Welles did have a penchant for thrillers, but some radio series were one hundred percent dedicated to scaring their listeners out of their wits. Writers and producers like Arch Oboler, Wyllis Cooper, and the prolific writer Lucille Fletcher filled the airwaves with tales of murder and the supernatural on shows with names like Lights Out, Beyond Midnight, The Witch’s Tale, and The Weird Circle.
By J.S. Phillipsabout a year ago in Horror
In Search of California Gothic
I first heard the term “California Gothic” in the bonus features of the Spider Baby DVD. Jack Hill’s weird comedy horror from the 1960s fits the bill because it’s set in a creepy old house in California. But is that it? Is that all it takes for a film to be considered “California Gothic?”
By J.S. Phillipsabout a year ago in Geeks
