Original subtitles

♪

-♪ Hey, everybody, have you heard the news? ♪

♪ Joe Bob is back in town ♪

♪ He's over at the drive-in, hanging around ♪

♪ Watching crazy movies, so come on down ♪

♪ To Joe Bob's "Last Drive-In" show ♪

♪ Blood, beasties, boobies, and more ♪

♪ Joe Bob's "Last Drive-In" show ♪

♪ It's a spooky good time with monsters and ghosts ♪

♪ Crazy, kooky fun with the world's greatest host ♪

♪ Joe Bob's "Last Drive-In" show ♪

♪ It's gonna be legendary ♪

♪ Joe Bob's "Last Drive-In" show ♪

♪ It's gonna be very scary ♪

♪ Joe Bob's "Last Drive-In" show ♪

♪ Let's go ♪

♪

[Static crackles]

♪

-Alright, class.

Our scripture for tonight is from the book of Exodus,

chapter 22, verse 18.

Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

We're going to watch some witches die.

We're going to watch some witches come back to life,

and we're going to watch some witches get unearthed

and released into the wild.

Yes, it's Walpurgisnacht.

And if you've been paying attention on social media,

you have your herbal cocktails.

You have your German tallboys ready to go

because we recently published the full list

of traditional Walpurgisnacht libations.

And where is Darcy, by the way?

She usually shows up with some sort of pro witch agenda,

but, um...

Well, anyway, welcome back another year

to the Walpurgisnacht edition of "The Last Drive In",

our annual celebration of Witches Night.

The other Halloween, the night

when the living and the dead are commingled in the twilight

and the combination of fire and alcohol leads to midnight

revels in the moist woodlands.

The night when the goal is to burn the witches

before they can fly to the Brocken

in the Harz mountains of Saxony, where they caper, cavort,

and copulate on the witches dance floor

in a macabre black mass, as Satan takes over their bodies

and manipulates them into his agents of destruction.

Walpurgisnacht is kind of like

getting invited to a bachelor's party in Boy's Town in Juarez,

and you know you're probably going to end up dead in a cave

somewhere in Chihuahua.

But you don't care

because you're under the influence of Finnish liqueurs

and Bavarian lagers and strippers named Lilith

that know how to get your American Express card

and lap dance you into submission.

The problem on this show is that every time we say,

hey, let's go burn the witches, everybody says,

no, don't burn the witches, I want to be a witch.

And so we've tried three times already.

We can't get the horror community

into the moist woodlands.

Or to put it another way,

we send "The Last Drive In" audience

into the moist woodlands to battle the witches,

and they end up falling in love with the witches!

You know, we can't really get the team to pull

behind our efforts to turn the second Halloween

into the big deal that it should be.

And that's why both movies tonight are

about evil witchcraft that must be eliminated.

First up, the neglected classic from 1960,

"The City of the Dead", followed by -- thank you for

joining us -- followed by the brutal Japanese ghost story

from the '90s about the female ghost

who turns into a vengeance seeking supernatural witch.

Yes, I'm talking about "Ringu."

-I feel like you're making things a little too complicated.

-Well, thanks for joining us, Darcy.

What happened to you?

-I just got back from the Brocken.

What do you think happened to me?

It's Walpurgisnacht, man.

-So you were on the Hexentanzplatz?

-Of course. -Again this year?

-And the night before that.

-Oh, you were in Germany all the time?

Last two nights, you've been in Germany?

-Exactly. -Where did you stay?

-In the Devil's VIP room. Of course.

-You were in the Teufelsmauer thing?

-Of course I was in the Teufelsmauer thing, yes.

Where else would I be?

They're fans of the show, by the way.

-The people at the Teufelsmauer? -Teufelsmauer.

-Darcy, the mail girl, ladies and gentlemen,

traveling to the four corners of the planet

to bring us horror experiences

that can be shared on social media,

and apparently some

that can only be shared on secure servers, here

to field your emails, your DMs, your Insta posts,

anything you want to toss into her mailbag.

And I assume there were some magic mushrooms

involved in this.

-You know there were.

-Are you sure you're able to function?

-I mean, I've worked in worse.

I worked it all kind of out of my system

before I got here in the fun way.

-All right. You need anything? Tylenol?

Blood transfusion? I see you did come direct.

How did you even make it here?

-Lufthansa flies direct. -Lufthansa, yeah.

-You know, them. They fly direct from Frankfurt,

and there were quite a few Germans continuing

the party on the plane. -Really?

-Yeah. -Okay. Darcy.

I'm sure they were.

You can give us that narrative later,

but right now, I want to resume our efforts to get

Walpurgisnacht declared a national American holiday

and turned into the communal party

that we want it to be.

-You are overcomplicating it.

-Well, maybe. For three years now,

I've been going over every custom associated

with Walpurgisnacht, and people still don't get it.

Because remember that first night in 2022

when I described all the fairies and the sprites

and the elves and the leprechauns

that frolic through the night on Walpurgisnacht,

while the witches are gathering on the mountain

to have sex with demons. -Yeah.

And you were spry as fuck, right?

You should just stop with sex with demons. The end.

-Just say sex with demons and be done with it?

-People are in.

-Remember I went all over the virgin sacrifices.

Did you even -- Did you heat the oatmeal cake in a bonnet?

-The what?

-See, you don't even remember one

of the fundamental rituals of Beltane.

-Sex with demons.

-Which is the Celtic and Saxon name for the holiday.

Oatmeal cake in a bonnet. Did you remember the Kelpies?

Remember I talked about the Kelpies?

-Yes. They are like a spirit animal, right?

-A shapeshifting half horse, half woman.

-That. -Water spirit that

makes herself known on Walpurgisnacht.

-There were all kinds of unique bodies on the Brocken.

-Did you roll around in the morning dew

after the midnight revels?

-Obviously.

-Okay. Was there a maypole? Did they have a maypole?

-There was a lot of maypole, sir.

[Laughter]

-And were they used to bless the wombs of virgins?

Those, you know...

-I feel like there weren't a whole lot of virgins up there.

Could be wrong. -Okay. Well, Darcy,

this is very important. Let's not make jokes about this.

-I'm not. -Was there a bonfire?

-Yes. -Was the bonfire started by

two naked men using wood on wood

without any artificial accelerants?

-No joking.

I saw quite a bit of wood on wood action there.

Yes. -All right.

Something tells me you were not observing the finer rituals

of Walpurgisnacht.

-You drink, the witches fly.

Everybody dances. You get naked. The end.

Simplify, man.

-Did you at least have some Maybach or some...

We're going to make some later. Some [speaks German]

-I assume I did.

-Okay, you know what I'm going to do?

You know what I'm going to do?

Forget all the finer points of the holiday.

The resinous splinters with hemlock.

The twigs of the slow, the bullwhip, the churn dasher.

-What are you talking about?

-Remember 2023?

I described the 23 types of witches

and the weapons that they use

and the weapons used against them.

-Oh, yeah, I think so.

-Remember my herbal attack torch?

Remember that thing?

-The one you were holding when I cut off your head?

-Yeah.

And then last year,

when we went through the most common witch tortures.

-That one was really fun.

Especially when we got to load the rocks on to you.

-All right. Yeah. I did.

We're going to streamline it this year.

Alright, we're going to streamline it.

We're going to do American witches.

American. No more Bohemia, no more Moravia.

No more holy oil from the tomb of Saint Walpurgis.

We're talking Salem, Massachusetts, 1692, America.

-Hell, yeah, we are.

-All right.

They had witches out the wazoo around then.

-Yeah. They did. -All right, so it was

Witch-a-Palooza that year.

That's what the rename of the holiday should be.

Witch-a-palooza.

-I'm still going to the Brocken every year, though.

And you need to come.

-I don't really want to go to the -- Darcy,

I'm really on team burn the witches.

I'm not up to any hijinks on the Hexentanzplatz.

-That's what they all say

until the one time we take them to the mountain.

-Well, our movie tonight is one of my favorites

from the witch subgenre.

It's kind of a neglected film, in my opinion.

More people know about it from the Iron Maiden video

than have actually watched the movie.

-Bring your daughter to the slaughter.

-Yeah, exactly.

Uh, people make fun of this movie,

but I think it's a genuinely frightening movie.

Um, you know what I'm talking about?

-Yes. -I'm talking about

"The City of the Dead",

which was released in England in 1960,

but it didn't make it to America until 1962,

when it was released as "Horror Hotel"

on a double feature

with Roger Corman's 1959 thriller "I Mobster."

So the film didn't have much of a chance when it first came out.

But let's do a reassessment of it tonight,

because it's an original horror idea

that came out almost simultaneously with "Psycho."

-Let's do it! I will try to focus.

-All right.

So what we have here is the sensitive story

of a perky blonde co-ed

who wants to spend her winter break trolling

through old witchcraft court records in a remote,

fog shrouded Massachusetts town

where a witch was burned to death in 1692.

And even more sinister,

where the perky blonde's history professor, Christopher Lee,

spent his formative years,

if you know what I mean, and I think you do.

Pretty soon, she starts to understand

why the entire population of the town stares at her

and sends dead birds to her creepy hotel room.

But not until it's too late for her matinee idol,

crooner brother, and her goofball boyfriend

to arrive in town on a sacred mission,

backed up by an ancient blind priest with an empty church.

Sure, we've seen it before,

but haven't we seen it with exploding fireball Puritan meat?

I think not.

So let's take a look at those drive in totals and get started.

We have at least 10 bodies. It could be 17

because crispy critter hooded Satanists are hard to count.

No breasts.

However, I'm going to forgo the usual half point deduction

because it's 1960 and the director is doing the best

he can with a totally gratuitous lingerie shot.

Three dead birds, one motor vehicle crash

and burn, blazing Satanists, multiple hooded figures

cemetery procession, multiple pilgrim headgear,

multiple taxidermied wildlife, bloodthirsty mob,

knife flinging, stalking, kidnapping, stake burning,

spectral dance party, Satanic sacrifice, gnarly fingernails.

Torch Fu. Cobweb Fu. Cross fu.

Drive In Academy Award nominations for Patricia Jessel

in a double role as a condemned witch and a shady innkeeper.

Venetia Stevenson as the airhead college student

who says things like, "My term paper's got to be good.

It could mean a scholarship."

Betta St. John as the antique store owner on a mission,

Christopher Lee as the professor

who says profound things like, "The basis of fairy tales

is reality, and the basis of reality is fairy tales."

Hm. George Baxt and Milton Subotsky,

the writers, for breaking the rules of horror at the time.

Desmond Dickinson,

the cinematographer, for creating a black

and white town that is listed in the dictionary

under the word "sinister."

And John Moxey, the director, for doing things.

the drive in way.

Four stars. Joe Bob says check it out.

So, Darcy. -Yes.

-A lot of action on the Brocken this year?

-[Laughs] It got pretty wild.

-Is there anything you want to share with us?

-Hmm. I'll just put it this way.

It did not stop for 36 hours.

-Well, do they keep records on that sort of thing?

-They do now. -What does that mean?

-Apparently we were supposed to leave

during the daylight hours.

-Are you saying you set the stamina record?

-I mean, something like that.

-All right. Well, I'm proud of you, I think.

-Thank you. -At least you're taking

Walpurgisnacht seriously. -Witches rule!

-Unlike some of our fans. All right.

You weren't here for our scripture reading, however.

Exodus 22:18.

"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

-Huh We'll see about that.

[Laughter]

[Static crackles]

♪

[Chanting in foreign language]

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[Drum beating rhythmically]

-Bring out Elizabeth Selwyn.

[Crowd clamoring]

-Bring out the witch! Bring out the witch!

-Bring her out! Bring her out! -Burn the witch.

-[Hissing]

-Witch!

-Burn the witch! Burn the witch!

[Crowd shouting]

-Burn the witch!

[Crowd shouting]

-Jethrow! Jethrow!

Jethrow!

-Jethrow Keane, hast thou consorted

with the witch, Elizabeth Selwyn?

-No.

-Burn the witch!

[Crowd clamoring]

-No! No!

Please!

No!

No! No! No! No! No!

-Help her, O Lucifer, help her.

-Elizabeth Selwyn...

...on this third day of March,

in the year of our Lord, 1692...

...we, the people of Whitewood, Massachusetts,

condemn thee as a witch.

May the flames cleanse thy soul of its evil.

Of its lust for blood

that made thee bring about the death of Abigail Adams.

-[Screams]

[Crowd clamoring]

-Help her, Lucifer, help her!

[Thunder crashes]

-I have made my pact with thee, O Lucifer. Hear me!

Hear me!

I will do thy bidding for all eternity.

For all eternity shall I practise

the ritual of Black Mass.

-Lucifer. -For eternity shall I

sacrifice unto thee.

I can feel my soul. Take me into thy service.

-O Lucifer, listen to thy servant.

Grant her this pact for all eternity, and I with her,

and if we fail thee but once,

you may do with our souls what you will.

-Make this city an example of thy vengeance.

Curse it.

-Curse it for all eternity. -Curse?

-And let me be the instrument of thy curse.

Hear me, O Lucifer.

Hear me!

-She's making a curse.

-Curse?

-Burn her! Burn her!

-Burn the witch! Burn the witch!

-Burn the witch! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!

-Burn! Burn her!

-Burn the witch!

-[Chanting] Burn the witch! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!

Burn the witch! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!

Burn the witch!

Burn the witch! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!

-[Laughing]

-"Burn, witch! Burn, witch! Burn, burn, burn!"

So shouted the people of Whitewood when they burnt

Elizabeth Selwyn in 1692.

Though as I've said, little is known today of

the actual practices of witchcraft

in 17th century New England.

Superstition, fear, and jealousy drove the puritans

to accuse their friends and relatives

of consorting with the Devil.

Parading around huge bonfires, repeating vindictive chants,

they consigned the poor creatures to the flames.

Their tortured souls cried out

in agony as the flames mounted higher and higher.

"Burn, witch! Burn, witch! Burn, burn!"

-Dig that crazy beat. -Shh!

-That will be all for today.

Tomorrow will be my concluding lecture

on the history of witchcraft in 17th century New England.

I shall bring along some illustrations,

which I'm sure will interest you all.

-I'll bring the matches. -[Laughter]

-Maitland!

Since you chose to attend these lectures,

I had hope that it was in the spirit

of scientific curiosity about the subject.

That'll be all.

-How could you?

-He takes it all so darn serious.

He's got you all hypnotized!

-Oh, Miss Barlow? -Yes, Professor?

-Can I see you for a moment? -Yes.

-What about our date?

-Look, um... -I'll meet you.

-I'll wait for you outside.

-Yes, Professor?

-Rather a difficult young man, that.

I fear that you are more than an attraction

to him than my poor efforts.

However, I've been reading

through your papers, Miss Barlow.

They show a very sound appreciation

of the subject.

-I want to go to New England to do my senior paper.

-Mmm-hm. They're really quite good, you know.

-Well, I'm not quite satisfied with them yet.

I feel like I need some first-hand research.

I want to get the atmosphere.

Find out how widespread witchcraft really was,

what the witches were really like.

-Well, that might take a little time, you know?

-Well, I have the time. My brother and I were gonna

spend our vacation with our cousins.

What I'd really like to do is to get a room in the smallest,

oldest town in New England I can find.

Check through all the town hall records.

Recheck the libraries.

Talk to the puritan descendants.

Make a really thorough investigation.

-Your brother is a professor of science, Ms. Barlow.

I hardly think he'd be very interested in

the history of witchcraft.

-Then I'd go alone.

-You don't think he'd object to that?

-You leave Richard to me.

He's picking me up here for lunch.

-Hello, Bill.

-Professor Barlow. -Nan here?

-Yeah. She's in there with him.

I don't like her getting mixed up

in this witchcraft business.

-Why not? It's only part of her history course.

-Professor Barlow? -Yes?

-Before you go in there, could I have a word with you?

-Sure. -Well, it's about Nan and me.

-Oh.

-If you're really serious about this,

I happen to know the town in New England.

As a matter of fact, it's the identical place where

the events occurred that I mentioned in today's lecture,

Whitewood.

It's quite a small place.

It's a little bit off the beaten track.

So maybe these directions will help you.

-Thank you.

-I think you might very well find

what you're looking for there.

I happen to know the woman who owns the inn at Whitewood.

Her name is Newless. Mrs. Newless.

So you just tell her I sent you.

-Raven's Inn, Whitewood.

-What's Whitewood?

-Now, Dick, don't be too upset,

but I'm gonna change my plans for the vacation.

-Change of plans? -Yes.

I'm going to a place called Whitewood

for a week or so to do some research.

-Oh, are you? And what about cousin Sue?

She's expecting you for her birthday party on the 17th.

She'll never forgive you. -I can still easily

make it by then. This is important.

My term paper's got to be good. It could mean a scholarship.

-Nan, I've made all the arrangements.

-Come on, Dick, you'll have a good time without me.

My mind's made up. I'm going to Whitewood.

-But surely any good encyclopedia will

give you all the nonsense you want to know about witchcraft.

-Witchcraft is not nonsense, Barlow.

-I'm sorry, Driscoll.

Witchcraft, black magic, sorcery, to me, it's nothing

but fairy-tale mumbo-jumbo.

I'm a scientist, Driscoll. I believe what I can see,

what I can feel and touch.

-"The basis of fairy tales is reality.

And the basis of reality is fairy tales."

As a scientist, you should be familiar with that quotation.

-Well, I don't believe that somebody in Chicago

can die of a heart attack, because some woman

in New Orleans sticks a pin in a wax doll!

-Maybe you don't,

but practitioners of voodoo claim otherwise.

-Dick, you're just being difficult.

-No.

When I look into a microscope, Driscoll, I see the bacteria,

swimming, fighting, existing.

That's real! These witches, they were

persecuted and burned in the 17th century.

Were real too, but they weren't witches.

They were pitiful human beings. Victims of hysteria.

-There are many eminent scholars who have documentary proof

of the actual practice of witchcraft.

-Yeah, but how effective was this practice?

Did any of these eminent scholars

ever meet a real practicing witch?

Did you ever meet a witch, Driscoll?

-Perhaps.

-Oh, come on. You're an historian.

No witch ever survived a burning at the stake

for all their pacts with the Devil.

-In 1692, Elizabeth Selwyn went to the stake.

She was buried in a churchyard in New England.

-And yet three years later... -Yeah.

-Three years later, a new wave

of blood sacrifices broke out in the village

that had condemned her.

The daughters of the elders who had condemned her

were themselves found murdered

with every last drop of blood drained from their bodies,

and afterwards, people came forward

to testify they had seen Elizabeth Selwyn.

-Oh, stop! This'd be more effective at midnight

with howling winds and crashing thunder.

And even then, it wouldn't frighten anyone.

-Dick! I'm sorry Professor Driscoll.

-It's all right, Miss Barlow.

You won't be the first person to have scoffed at the subject.

-Honey, when you get to, um, where is it?

-Whitewood. -Ah, yes, Whitewood.

Well, send me a picture postcard of a witch.

If possible, autographed.

Now, uh, let's have some lunch, eh?

-I'm sorry, I have a date.

♪

♪

-Nan, darling, I still don't see why you have to go up

to this Whitewood place.

Huh? I thought we were gonna have some time together

during this vacation.

-You know I want to be with you. It's just this is important.

-Look, what the heck can you find

that hasn't been found before?

-I don't know.

It's just that maybe, hidden in some attic

or buried in some old antique shop,

there's something that might give

a new outlook on the subject.

-Oh, what new outlook can there be?

-You're a science student, honey.

You know how important research is.

-But this isn't about anything real.

This is just superstitious people burning silly old women.

-But suppose the women weren't silly.

Suppose they really had a pact with the Devil.

A pact that could have supernatural power.

-Oh, come on. What kind of power?

-I don't know.

-Oh, look, it's no use, Bill.

We've both tried our hardest to talk her out of going.

-Do you really think she will find anything worthwhile?

-I think we have to respect her desire to find something new,

even if we don't agree with the subject.

-Agree with it?

I've never heard so much nonsense

as that guy Driscoll talks in all my life.

-Well, here I am, all packed.

-Oh. I suppose nothing I can say will stop you from going, huh?

Yeah, well, I'll, uh, I'll put this in the car.

-I still hoped you'd change your mind, Nan.

-Don't worry, darling.

I'll be back as quick as I can, and I'll write.

-Well, don't forget me altogether, huh?

-I won't. Give Sue my love, and don't forget we have

a date at our party.

-Bye, darling.

♪

♪

♪

[Horn honks]

-Uh, excuse me. Can you help me? I seem to be lost.

-Sure, if I can.

-I'm looking for the Wamport Road.

-Wamport Road?

Hardly anyone uses that any more.

-Well, my friend gave me the directions.

Uh, "take road 28A, turn on to the Wamport Road,

bear left at the fork through to Whitewood."

-Whitewood? -Am I that far away?

-No, ma'am. Not far.

Not many God-fearing folks visit Whitewood nowadays.

If I were you, I...

-If you'll excuse me, I'm in a hurry. Which way is it?

-Well, follow this road about two miles, you come to a fork.

There'll be a sign -- Wamport Road.

Turn left, keep straight, there'll be Whitewood.

-Thank you very much.

Does that sign say "Wamport Road"?

-Wamport Road? Yes.

-Oh, good. I was afraid I missed it.

-Is it Whitewood you seek? -Yes.

-I, too. Uh, would I be imposing if...?

-No, of course not. Get in.

-Thank you.

You'd think the Highway Commission

would do something about these roads.

Watch out. Here comes another bump.

-What is your mission in Whitewood?

-Mission? Well, I'm going there

to do some research on witchcraft.

Professor Driscoll gave us some

very interesting lectures on the subject.

I'm going there to get some original source material.

-Do you know Whitewood? -I've known it for many years.

-Do you go there often? -Fairly often.

-Oh, then you must know the Raven's Inn.

-I shall be resting there. -Oh, so shall I.

Oh, my name's Nan Barlow.

-My name's Jethrow Keane.

-Pleased to meet you. -Pleased to meet you.

♪

♪

-It's just like a picture out of a history book.

I feel as though I were in the 17th century.

Why hasn't Whitewood been written about?

-It's off the beaten path. Few tourists come here.

For Whitewood, time stands still.

-Look at that church. Must have been beautiful.

What a shame they let it get so run down.

-Straight on? -Yes, follow the road around.

-Ah, there it is. What a lovely old building.

17th century at least.

How picturesque can you get?

Right by the graveyard.

-Yes. It has not been used for more than 200 years.

-Any witches buried there? -There are, indeed.

All in a section of unconsecrated ground.

-Spooky, isn't it?

Well, keep your fingers crossed for me, Mr. Keane.

I hope Mrs. Newless has that room.

[Static crackles] -And so Nan Barlow,

against the advice of her brother and her boyfriend,

ends up in the fog shrouded town of Whitewood.

And is that some good fog or what?

And they worked hard on that fog.

The director, John Moxey,

wanted something better than the normal dry ice look

that you get from a typical smoke machine.

He wanted a thick fog that would hang high in the air.

And so they burned paraffin,

and they spread it all over the stage.

And this was a completely British production, by the way.

It had an all English cast.

They were doing American accents.

And John Moxey had never been to America,

so his idea of showing that the movie was in the US

was to put in that soda shop scene,

because apparently the soda shop was something well known

to Brits from American movies.

Um, you'll notice

that Christopher Lee's accent goes in and out.

Now, even though Christopher Lee,

he was a stickler for detail,

but he always had trouble with the American accent.

But anyway, it was shot at Shepperton Studios,

which is the low budget studio out by London's

Heathrow Airport.

And the sound stages at Shepperton are not soundproof.

So why anybody would build a film studio next

to one of the world's busiest airports is a mystery to me.

But anyway, that's what they did.

And many of our most beloved films were shot at Shepperton,

including the 1933 Boris Karloff film "The Ghoul",

which was considered lost for many years,

but Svengoolie aired the first complete version of it

just a couple years back.

Um, Shepperton is also

where Carol Reed shot "The Third Man" in 1949.

Many Brits consider that the greatest English film ever made.

Plus Laurence Olivier shot "Richard III" there.

"Doctor Strangelove" was shot there.

"The Elephant Man" was shot there.

Anyway, it would become a workhorse studio

for the London film industry, but in 1959,

when this movie was made,

it was definitely just the cheapest place

you could find to work.

It had actually recently emerged from bankruptcy,

so they were discounting everything there.

And the unions hated working at Shepperton.

And so Moxey was also hindered by very strict working hours.

You had to start shooting precisely at 8:30 a.m.

on the dot. You shot through to 1:00.

You broke one hour for tea and lunch,

and then you shot from 2:00 to 6:20.

At 6:20,

everything shut down, you came back the next day.

Started the day at 8:30 again.

Well, that was actually the schedule

for three days in the week.

For the other two days, you shot 8:30 to 1:00 and 2:00 to 5:50.

You didn't get that extra half hour.

So no exceptions, no overtime

for a low budget movie like this.

It's really to the credit of John Moxey and his crew

that he could work within those limitations.

Plus, stop shooting whenever a plane from Heathrow

went over the stage, and he could

get the movie that he did get.

Anyway, my point was they used paraffin for the fog,

and the paraffin added further delays

because if any of the actors inhaled too much paraffin,

the result was bad diarrhea.

[Laughter]

-So the unions were that strict,

but they didn't care about the paraffin?

-Well, they probably cared about the crew.

The crew could mask up, you know,

they didn't really care what happened to the actors.

-So... -Interesting.

It's kind of gross, actually.

-England always had tough unions, you know.

Don't move that chair.

You must be a union member to move that prop chair.

So our heroine, Nan Barlow seems a little naive, don't you think?

-Just a little bit. -Alright.

Because everything in this town

and the road approaching the town seems to be saying,

"Danger, danger, danger."

The gas station attendant warning

that nobody goes to Whitewood, and the weird hitchhiker

who disappears from the passenger seat.

And the thick fog. And the dilapidated church.

And the 200 year old graveyard next to the end,

it all says danger to everybody except Nan Barlow.

She thinks it's picturesque, you know,

sort of typing her as the world's

biggest airhead college student.

So Nan is played by Venetia Stevenson,

who is pretty much forgotten today.

But she was one of the most famous women

in the world at that time.

She had a reputation.

She was sort of like a Paris Hilton

or a Kendell Jenner,

uh, famous for being a beautiful model

who's in all the magazines, and she dates all the famous guys.

So she was the daughter, though, of Robert Stevenson,

the British director famous for

"King Solomon's Mines" and "Jane Eyre"

and "Mary Poppins", and a lot of Disney movies.

He worked for Disney a long time.

'The Absent-Minded Professor", "The Love Bug".

And her mother, Anna Lee, was an equally famous actress.

She had starred in a famous Oscar winning movie called

"How Green Was My Valley",

and then she'd settled into life as a soap star.

She was on "General Hospital"

for 25 years as the matriarch Lila Quartermaine.

So Venetia was born in London,

but she moved with her parents to Hollywood

when her dad was signed by David O. Selznick.

And she grew up in this world of famous people.

And when she was 14,

she was spotted on the beach in Malibu

by the famous pinup photographer Peter Gowland.

And she ended up on a slew of magazine covers,

including Popular Photography,

which named her, quote,

"the most photogenic girl in the world"

after a competition among 4,000 professional models.

She accepted that award on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

And like many beautiful women in Hollywood,

she dated all the beautiful men in Hollywood,

often acting as a beard for the gay men in Hollywood.

She was the beard for Tab Hunter, uh,

for Anthony Perkins.

Um, she dated Elvis.

Uh, she had a one year affair with Audie Murphy.

Who has an affair with Audie Murphy?

Anyway. Um...

Uh, so she was a hot cow girl, you know,

because she did those Western series.

Uh, so Venetia Stevenson,

um, she had a brief marriage to Russ Tamblyn.

I almost forgot that.

And even though she was signed to a contract at RKO pictures,

she never really impressed anybody with her acting.

So she just worked in a series of TV western series

and the occasional feature.

And then she met Don Everly of the Everly Brothers.

She met him backstage at "The Ed Sullivan Show"

when she was being named the most beautiful woman

in the world,

and she decided to quit show business

and have babies with Don Everly.

And, um, at the time this movie was made,

though, she would have been known to most people

in America and Britain,

where she was a panelist on a popular BBC pop show

called "Juke Box Jury",

and they would play a brand new record,

and the celebrity jury would vote on

whether the song would be a hit or a miss,

and then the performer of the song would come on stage

and surprise the panel and deal with the results of the voting.

Okay, so that's Venetia Stevenson.

In later years, she would always be surprised

when people ask her about this movie,

since she didn't have much memory of anything

except spending a day where she had to scream a lot.

So, how are you holding up?

-You know, a little bit of hair of the dog.

-All right. Hair of the dog for you.

I'm not even going to ask you what that means,

because that could mean anything.

-I feel like you know what it means.

-I know what it means with a normal partygoer.

But you're a Brocken regular.

So anyway.

-I am feeling better every single minute.

-Okay, um, I'll mention the first American witch

that we're honoring tonight.

Dorothy Good.

-Whoo! -All right.

Born in 1688, in Salem Village, Massachusetts,

and spent her whole life following her mother from house

to house, begging for help because her mother, Sarah Good,

had lost her father to suicide

and lost her husband to an early death.

And that left her saddled with debt.

And then she was married to this abusive guy

who abandoned her and her daughter.

And she'd recently had another baby.

And they left them to a life of begging.

So when Dorothy was 4 years old, her mama,

who was 39, was hauled off to jail

after several people testified she was aggressive and unhinged,

and they had visions after seeing her.

And so they believed she was a witch.

But that wasn't the worst part.

The local magistrates came to the home

where the 4 year old was living

and asked her a series of questions,

and she told them about her pet snake.

And a snake was considered to be a witch's familiar,

an animal companion for a witch.

So that was considered to be a confession.

So the 4 year old was also charged with witchcraft

and taken to Boston and put in a cell with her mother.

And she was only with her mother for three months,

though, because Sarah Good,

the mom, was executed as a witch on July 19th of that year.

And then Dorothy's baby sister was also in the same cell

for a while. She was just a baby,

but she died because of the harsh prison conditions.

A literal baby.

So 4 year old Dorothy was released from prison

34 weeks later, somehow taken to her father,

who had no money but raised her till she was 22

because she had apparently gone crazy

and couldn't take care of herself.

So just in case you didn't realize

how hard core these people were,

yes, a 4 year old was charged with witchcraft.

Her baby sister died in jail,

and even though they didn't execute her,

they just executed her mom, they might as well have.

-That is really messed up, actually.

-So we honor our first witch, Dorothy Good.

-That is brutal. Brutal shit.

-And now our movie is going to get brutal

as we continue with "the City of the Dead".

-Good segue. Good job. -Back to the flick.

I like the choice of Whitewood for the name of the town,

because when does wood become white?

When it's been completely burned up

and it's just embers in the charcoal grill, right?

-Yeah.

That opening scene when she's burned at the stake

reminds me a lot of the opening scene in "Black Sunday."

-Yes, as a matter of fact,

John Moxey was accused of stealing that scene

from Mario Bava, but he finished this movie long

before "Black Sunday" ever came out.

It was just released later.

-Did they burn witches at the stake in Salem?

-Um, they burned witches at the stake in Europe,

but in America, they just hung them.

But for the movie, you got to go with stake burning

in a movie -- so much more cinematic.

-Oh, yeah. Agreed. For sure.

[Static crackles]

[Bell rings] -[Gasps]

-[Moans softly]

-Oh, I didn't hear you come in. Are you Mrs. Newless?

-No. -Oh, I'm Nan Barlow.

I was told I might find a room here.

-[Mumbles indistinctly]

-I was recommended by a friend, Professor Driscoll.

Perhaps you know him.

-That will be all, Lottie.

I'm sorry to keep you waiting.

Unfortunately, Lottie cannot talk.

I've often told her not to answer the bell.

-Poor thing. Then you're Mrs. Newless.

-I am. May I help you?

-Yes, I'd like to have a room here for two weeks.

-The hotel is quite full.

Oh, the guests are never about at this time of day.

Well, I'm a student of Professor Driscoll's.

He told me if I mentioned his name, I'd have no trouble.

-Well, there is a room I could let you have.

It's just off the lobby.

-Oh, thank you.

Oh, Mrs. Newless, that plaque.

Is it true that Elizabeth Selwyn was really burnt here

for being a witch?

-She was.

-And do you believe she was a witch?

-Come along. I'll show you to your room.

I hope you will be comfortable.

-Yes, it is a nice room.

The previous occupants have always found it most agreeable.

Well, if there's anything you should need,

just ring the bell for me at the desk.

-Thank you.

Oh!

-It's been so many months.

I have counted the days till this holiday.

-So have the others.

It wasn't easy for some of my guests to get here.

Many had to travel vast distances.

-I was lucky.

The last few miles were enchanting.

Miss Barlow is very good company.

-You must be tired, Jethrow. Your room is ready.

-And the festivities?

-I am prepared.

-Oh, Mrs. Newless.

I thought I'd have a short look around town.

I won't be gone long.

-I think you'll find the church interesting.

Unfortunately, it no longer has a congregation.

-He will be pleased.

-I'm told this was once a house of worship.

-It is still a house of worship.

I am the reverend of this church.

As long as the breath of life is within me,

this house shall remain God's house.

-Must have been a beautiful building.

-For me, it is still beautiful.

-I'm sorry.

What a shame that people have let it fall into such a state.

-Strangers rarely come to Whitewood. Who are you?

-I'm Nan Barlow. I'm staying at the Raven's Inn.

-Why have you come to Whitewood?

-Well, because I'm interested in witchcraft.

-Young woman, leave Whitewood.

Leave Whitewood tonight.

For 300 years the Devil has harbored over this city,

made it his own.

The people in it are his.

Evil has triumphed over good here.

Look at my church.

I have no parish. No one worships here.

His is the power.

-What power? -Leave Whitewood.

Leave Whitewood tonight. I beg of you!

-What power? -Leave before it is too late!

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

-Good evening. -Good evening.

-Please excuse the mess. We haven't been open long.

-You have some very interesting things here.

-Yes, they belong to my grandmother.

When she died, I came back to sort things out.

-Oh, I'm sorry. Then you don't live here?

-No, my family have lived here for generations,

but I've just been back a few weeks.

Would you like to have a look around?

-Thank you.

Oh, I didn't mean to frighten you when I came in.

It's just that all the people I've met here

have acted like I'm a person from another world.

-They don't see many strangers here.

-And I had the most, well,

unusual experience with the reverend.

He barred my way from the church.

And he talked to me about a curse.

And he warned me to leave Whitewood.

Can you explain that?

-No, I can't.

-Does he often act that way?

-He's my grandfather. -Oh, I'm sorry.

-Oh, it's all right. It's happened before with strangers.

The lack of parishioners, the loss of his sight

has made him bitter and suspicious.

-I'm afraid what with him and the town, I was very scared.

When I saw your lights, I made a dash for them.

-I'm glad you did.

-Do you have any books or pamphlets on witchcraft?

-You do, don't you? A friend of mine...

-We have a collection gathering dust.

But why on earth would you be interested in...?

-Oh, I'm sorry. It's really none of my business.

-No, that's all right.

I'm studying it in college,

and I've come here to write my term paper.

-Well, just wait. I'll see what I can find.

That's Elizabeth Selwyn.

Burned as a witch, March 3, 1692.

-Yes, I know. I saw the plaque in the lobby of the hotel.

-You're staying at the Raven's Inn?

-Yes. It was recommended to me

by a friend of mine, Professor Driscoll.

-Alan Driscoll? -Yes. Do you know him?

-No, but my grandfather speaks of him.

His family come from here.

-Oh, I didn't know that.

-Here. I think this'll do for a start.

What a lovely locket. May I see it?

-I believe it's quite old. -Oh, it is. You're very lucky.

-I'm even more lucky to have found this.

"A Treatise on Devil Worship in New England".

This must be a very rare book.

I'm afraid I couldn't afford to buy it.

-You can borrow it if you like.

-Oh, could I? That would be wonderful.

I promise I'll bring it back in a few days.

-You're very welcome, Miss...? -Barlow. Nan Barlow.

-Nan Barlow.

-Thank you very much. Good night.

-Night.

[Door closes]

[Singing in distance]

[Singing in distance]

-Mrs. Newless!

-Mrs. Newless? -Yes, Miss Barlow?

-I've heard some strange noises in my room.

-Oh, possibly the water in the pipes. This is a very old inn.

-No, it seemed to be coming from the cellar underneath.

-I hardly think so, Miss Barlow.

The cellars do not extend beneath your room.

-But then why is there a trap door in the floor?

-The ground was filled in many years ago

to strengthen the foundations of the building.

-But I'm sure... -If you insist,

I will come and see.

I don't hear anything.

-Well, just a few minutes ago...

-Never mind. I'm sorry. -You're welcome.

But you can see for yourself,

there is no ring in the trap door

because there is no reason to lift it.

There is nothing underneath but earth.

♪

[Static crackles]

-Oh, Nan, there's no demonic chanting coming from

under the floorboards of your hotel room.

Don't be ridiculous. Well, I guess you're right.

[Laughter]

And that crazed blind priest

who keeps wailing that the town has been taken over by evil.

Isn't that quaint? [Chuckles]

Nan is pretty much the definition of clueless.

The two other women who have segued into the story

are polar opposites.

Miss Newless at the hotel spell Newless backwards.

What do you get? Selwyn, right?

Miss Newless is played by Patricia Jessel,

who was a highly respected actress with a career

almost entirely on the London stage.

By the age of 24,

she had already performed Lady Macbeth at Stratford,

and she was still doing the role almost 20 years later

at the Old Vic in 1962.

And in fact, while she was making this movie,

she was also appearing opposite Peter Cushing

at the Aldwych Theatre in the West End

in a William Fairchild play called "The Sound of Murder."

If you saw the 1962 movie version,

she had the role that Joanna Miles played on screen.

Her most famous role,

though, was starring in Agatha Christie's

"Witness For the Prosecution",

which had a long run in the West End,

moved to Broadway,

where she won the Tony Award in 1955.

Are you an Agatha Christie fan? -Oh, no, actually.

I'm not a big mystery reader.

-Me neither.

I can't keep all the Agatha Christie titles straight,

but Patricia Jessel probably spent four years

on that one play.

At any rate, she had that patrician face,

that sort of snobby, upper class look

that allowed her to be both charming and sinister.

And she is just excellent in this movie.

You have a sense of dread every time

she walks into a room, don't you think?

-I would not check in after meeting her.

-I know, right?

And now the opposite mood is created by Betta St. John,

who plays the antique store owner.

We know right away she's not part of the coven

simply because of her acting style.

And she said in interviews later in life it was because,

quote, "I didn't have a clue as to what film I was in."

She realized when she saw the completed film

that she should have played it in a more sly way so

that she would be suspected of being complicit with the others.

But she thought making a horror movie was slumming,

and she didn't read anything in the script except her own part.

-Works for me. -Yeah, I know, right?

Betta St. John had been a child star.

She was part of the Meglin kiddies troupe in the '30s.

That's the, uh, singing and dancing children's act

that launched Shirley Temple,

launched Judy Garland, and by the age of 10,

she was singing in a movie with, um,

Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart.

Um, Rodgers and Hammerstein noticed her,

gave her a small part in the original cast of "Carousel"

in 1945, and then cast her as Liat in "South Pacific" in 1949.

If you've seen "South Pacific", Liat is the young girl

who does hand gestures during the "Happy Talk" song.

Um, and then her first grown up movie was "Dream Wife" in

1953 with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr.

And then she had many roles in the '50s,

both in Hollywood and in London.

And she was especially remembered

for two Gordon Scott Tarzan movies.

And, um, one other horror flick, "Corridors of Blood",

with Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee again.

When her acting career failed to take off,

though, she retired early.

This was her last film, when she was just 30 years old,

even though she lived till 2023.

-What kind of bookstore lets you just borrow the books?

-Well, that's the other thing that should have been sinister,

that she let her borrow the book.

But the way she plays it, it's just,

oh, here, take this big Acme Encyclopedia of Witchcraft

or whatever that was,

and bring it back whenever you finish with it.

-Both women seem naive.

She should have just roomed with the shopkeeper.

-I know. This was also the last film of Norman MacOwan

as Reverend Russell, Scottish actor.

He was 82 when the movie was filmed.

Uh, he would live just two more years,

but he had been acting on the stage since the 19th century.

He was also a playwright.

He was a very successful playwright.

He'd had a big hit in 1920,

in the West End, "The Blue Lagoon",

based on the original 1908 novel by Henry De Vere Stacpoole,

wrote the original novel, "The Blue Lagoon".

Okay. The witch I want to honor at this break is Tituba.

-Whoo! -You know who Tituba is?

-Um, enlighten us.

-Tituba was a South American Indian slave

who was owned by a Salem minister, Samuel Parris.

And it's the two daughters of Samuel Parris

who started having the convulsions and screaming

and puking and telling everybody

they were under the influence of the devil.

Uh, Betty Parrish was 9 years old.

Susanna Parris was 5 years old.

They had an 11 year old cousin,

an orphan named Abigail Williams,

who lived in the house.

So these three girls started the whole thing in Salem.

And the way they started it is by saying that Tituba,

the slave woman in the house, was bewitching them.

So Tituba gets hauled into court, and she gives it up.

She says, yeah, I made a witch cake.

I made a witch cake out of rye meal and urine

to get these three girls... -Whoa!

-...to stop screaming and choking.

And so Tituba is arrested.

And the magistrate asked her, who's hurting these children?

And Tituba says, "Well, the devil did ask me to do it,

but I didn't do it.

But this man in black came from Boston,

came to talk to me about it, and he did it.

And two other women in town helped him do it."

And she names these two women.

And so those women are arrested and eventually executed.

And Tituba's testimony is basically, yeah,

I talked to the devil and the man in black,

and they wanted me to hurt the children,

but I wouldn't do it.

And then a big black talking dog came to me

and talked to me about it and said if I would serve him,

he would give me pretty things.

But then I saw two rats, a red rat and a black rat,

and these two rats wanted me to serve them, too,

by cutting off children's heads with a knife.

But if I told anybody,

they would cut off my head with a knife.

And there was also a yellow dog with wings

and a woman's head that turned into the shape

of one of the women who was hurting the children.

And it goes on like this for a long time.

Tituba is just describing all this

various demons and animal shape

that were sent to her by the devil

to try to get her to kill children.

But she never did it. She wouldn't do it.

They also told her what women in town did do it.

And so Tituba says, "Yeah, I'm a witch,

but there are worse witches than me,

and I'll tell you who they are."

And so she ends up doing prison time.

But then they let her go,

and she goes back to the West Indies.

So the only one who did say, "Yeah,

I'm a witch, I do spells and black magic,

and I made a witch cake,"

they let her go, but they killed everybody else that she named.

What a great country we have.

And now we'll spend a moment honoring her.

-So why do you think she made all that up?

-Well, first of all, maybe she didn't make it up.

Maybe she was a good witch.

But she was a slave, first of all.

And her owner was the minister

who preached about the devil all the time.

So she kind of knew what he wanted to hear.

But she was also from a primitive tribe.

So they probably did do magic potions and herbal remedies,

and she may not have seen any difference

between describing her dreams and describing her day.

Not that she was dumb,

she was just from a different culture

with a different way of thinking about things.

Plus it worked.

Maybe she was the smartest witch of all because it worked.

They did not kill her.

All right, let's get back to the flick.

-Okay. -Roll it.

You know, the character of the minister

who's keeping the church alive even

though he has no congregation?

I met a guy like that in real life.

-No way. -Yeah.

No, I was a reporter for Texas Monthlymagazine.

I was doing this article in the part of the Amazon jungle

that's in Peru, and I met this missionary

who said he had built a church near the village

of the Huaorani Indians.

But he wasn't able to compete

with the traditional witch doctor of that tribe.

And I said, "Why not?"

And he said, "Because the other guy gets results and I don't."

Meaning people in the village would go to the shaman.

They didn't call him a witch doctor.

He was a shaman. With their ailments,

you know, and he would cure them with herbs and potions

and spells and whatever he did.

-Wow.

Do you have all of your insane adventures

written down somewhere?

-Well, yeah, because I was writing articles,

so, yeah, they're all written down.

But here's the interesting part.

So the missionary still held services

in the church twice a week.

He believed that God was in the church

and God was in the village.

And so you had to go ahead and take the Eucharist

and preach the sermon and do everything you would normally do

if you had 50 people there,

even though the building was totally empty.

So anyway, reminded me of that guy

when I saw the Reverend Russell,

expertly performed by Norman MacOwan,

holding the devil at bay even as he's dying.

-Did the priest in Peru believe

that the witch doctor was demonic?

-I don't think he believed he was demonic.

I think he thought he was just a doctor

who was good at his job, you know?

-Did you get to meet the shaman?

-I did meet the shaman. And he scared the crap out of me

because he wanted to share his white milky paste with me

that he had made. -That would be scary.

-And he said, if I tasted it, I would see things.

And I actually regret

that I could not bring myself to taste it.

-I feel like I would have been all over that.

-Oh, you would have been all over that, you know?

But you probably had some weird edibles

last night on the Brocken.

-You know, I still have some, if you're interested.

-Of course you still have some.

[Laughter]

[Static crackles]

[Music playing]

♪

[Clock ticking]

♪

♪

-Come in.

Oh, hello, Lottie. Come in.

Oh, I don't need any more towels. I haven't used mine.

They're quite clean.

-Lottie...I've told you before not to bother the guests.

Miss Barlow, I thought you might care to join the others.

-I will as soon as I finish my notes.

I'll put some clothes on and join them.

-"A Treatise on Devil Worship in New England".

Well, do you find this interesting?

-Why, it's fascinating.

The things I've learnt. I bet you don't know the half of it.

And you live right here on a spot

where the witches were actually burnt.

Listen to this.

"On Candlemas Eve, February 1st, in the year 1692,

a coven of witches --" a coven, that's 13,

some men, some women -- "whose power came from the Devil

gathered beneath the Raven's Inn

to perform a black mass in the honor of Lucifer.

The witch, Elizabeth Selwyn, later to be burnt at the stake,

marked a young girl for sacrifice

by obtaining an object of value belonging to her,

with which to call her.

And leaving in its place a dead bird

and a sprig of Woodbine.

The witches sacrificed her on the altar,

and drank her blood at the hour of 13."

What's the hour of 13?

-Well, personally I have never heard

a clock strike more than 12.

Now, how about joining the dancing?

-In a little while, I promise.

Oh, by the way, I seem to have misplaced my locket.

I remember having it in my room, and now it's disappeared.

-Oh, I'm sorry. I'll ask Lottie.

-Well, I-I'm not saying it was stolen.

It's just I remember having it on the dresser,

and now it's gone.

I would appreciate it.

-Of course. I'll look into it immediately.

Lottie, I have warned you too often

about annoying our guests.

If you disobey me again, I shall turn you out.

And if I turn you out,

there will be no place for you anywhere.

You do understand, Lottie, don't you?

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

-Ah, Miss Barlow.

I'm afraid Lottie is nowhere to be found.

But I will inquire about your locket

first thing in the morning.

-Oh, thank you. Where is everybody?

-Most of the other guests have gone to the services.

-Services? On the 1st of February?

Candlemas Eve.

The night when the witches mock the rituals of the church.

-Are you all right, Miss Barlow?

-Yes, quite, thank you.

-Good night. -Good night, Miss Barlow.

-[Gasps]

Mrs. Newless!

Mrs. Newless! Mrs. Newless!

[Clock ticking]

[Gasps]

[Clock chimes]

[Singing in distance]

[Singing in distance]

[Window shade clatters]

[Clanging]

[Chanting, singing]

[Singing in foreign language]

[Singing in distance]

[Singing in foreign language]

-[Gasps] -Quiet.

-[Screams]

No! No! [Screams]

Aah! No! Let go of me! Help! No!

Let me go! No!

No! Take your hands off me!

Let me go!

No! No! No!

Let go of me! No!

[Screams]

[Bell tolling]

[Chanting in foreign language]

[Nan whimpering]

-Six, seven...

-No! No, Mrs. Newless, no!

No! No! No!

-I am Elizabeth Selwyn.

-No! No!

-11... -No!

-Let go of me! Let go! -12...

-[Screams] -13.

[Cheering]

♪ Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you ♪

♪ Happy birthday, dear Susie ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

[Cheering]

-Mmm, yummy.

Delicious.

-Dick, have you got any idea what's happened to Nan?

-I'm sure she'll show up.

She's probably met a good-looking he-witch

and is bringing him along to the party.

Only their broomstick blew a gasket.

-It's not like Nan to be late for anything.

Aren't you a bit worried about her?

-She'll be here. I'm sure she'll make it.

-[Doorbell ringing] -That's probably her now.

-You answer the door,

and I'm gonna put a record on for some dancing.

-All right.

-Hi, Dick. -Bill.

-What's the matter? You expecting somebody else?

-Oh, yes, Nan. Look, come in, come in.

-Well, Nan? Isn't she here yet?

We made a date to meet here before she left for Whitewood.

-Well, she probably got held up.

Look, look, give me your coat, huh?

-Nan was never late for anything in her life.

-Relax. Take it easy.

Enjoy the party. She'll be here.

-Dick...

Dick, I haven't had a letter from Nan in over two weeks now.

-She's probably been too busy working on her paper.

-Oh, no. There's something wrong, I know it.

-Will you do something for me? -Mm-hmm.

-Ring up Whitewood, will ya? Ask 'em if she's left.

-Are you serious? -Yes, I am.

-Okay.

♪

♪

-Hello. Long distance.

I'd like to speak with a Miss Nan Barlow

at the Raven's Inn, Whitewood.

No, I don't have a phone number.

-What, didn't she give you the phone number?

-Why, no, but that's my sister.

They say there's no such place as the Raven's Inn.

-But that's crazy. She's staying there.

-Give me the police.

-She left in such a hurry,

she must have forgotten to return it to you, Miss Russell.

-She seemed such a nice girl, too.

Wouldn't have thought she was the sort who'd

forget to return a book. -We cannot always judge

by our first impressions, can we?

-I'm not usually wrong about the people I lend my books to.

-Well, perhaps you'll be more careful in future.

-Thank you for letting me have it.

-Remember me to your grandfather.

Lottie! Get out of the way, you clumsy creature.

♪

♪

-Can I help you?

-Yes, we're from the Sheriff's office.

We had a call this evening.

A missing person report for some college kid named Nan Barlow.

The party calling said her last known

whereabouts was the Raven's Inn.

-Nan Barlow. That's strange. Yes, I met her.

-When did you last see her?

-About two weeks ago.

She came to my shop, and borrowed this book.

It's quite valuable,

and so not hearing from her, I decided to come and get it.

Mrs. Newless had it.

-May I? -Yes.

-"A Treatise on Devil Worship"?

I must put this in the report.

Peculiar things some of these college kids do nowadays.

Well, thanks for your help. Come on, Charlie.

[Static crackles]

-You know, people who watch this movie for the first time,

they sometimes say, oh,

look, they did the same thing Hitchcock did in "Psycho."

They established the beautiful heroine

and then kill her off at the 40 minute mark.

But it's impossible that they copied "Psycho",

because this movie was already in the can

before "Psycho" ever started filming.

The question actually became annoying to the filmmakers

over the years since the release of "The City of the Dead"

had been delayed two years,

and so it did look like "Psycho" was filmed first.

But before we get into that,

what do you think about the gratuitous lingerie shot

of Venetia Stevenson?

I gave John Moxey credit for trying

to put a little boobage into his movie.

-For 1960, I think that's about as

daring as he was going to get.

-And since it was totally gratuitous,

I thought he should not be penalized.

-Especially since the movie was being made in England,

where they are even stricter than we are in America.

-True. Okay.

This movie is widely regarded as the first Amicus film.

Even though Amicus had not yet been formed in 1960,

but it was produced by the two partners in Amicus,

Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg.

-You may want to explain what Amicus was.

-Darcy. -Just saying.

-Are you encouraging a digression?

-Just this one time.

-All right. -Quickie one.

-All right, so, Amicus, I will explain it.

-Okay.

-Amicus was a partnership of two New Yorkers

who set out to challenge Hammer Films.

And they were opposites.

Milton Subotsky was the ultimate nerd --

shy, antisocial, sci-fi fanboy.

No social skills at all.

In fact, some of the people who knew him

thought there might be something medically wrong with him,

including his parents,

who despised his obsession with science fiction

and cheap movies.

And then Max Rosenberg, on the other hand,

his partner, was the ultimate fast talking, hard nosed,

foul mouthed, New York lawyer deal maker.

Uh, they first got together on a movie called

"Rock, Rock, Rock" in 1956.

It was one of those wild youth rock and roll

movies like "Rock Around the Clock"

and "Rock All Night."

There were several movies at that time like that.

And Milton Subotsky wrote the script,

and he wrote nine of the rock and roll

songs that were used in the movie.

And Max Rosenberg raised the money

and got the film into theaters.

Uh, Max Rosenberg had started out as a theatrical attorney.

So around the same time,

Subotsky wrote this script called

"Frankenstein and the Monster",

and he submitted it to Hammer Films.

And Hammer Films rejected his script,

but then they immediately made a movie called

"The Curse of Frankenstein",

and that was the movie that was popular all over the world

and launched Hammer into the horror powerhouse years

that followed when they made all those horror movies.

So Subotsky felt his material had been stolen

by Michael Carreras, the head of Hammer,

and he was so offended by this

that he held a grudge against Hammer

the rest of his life.

So, starting in 1959, Subotsky and Rosenberg

set out on this plan to defeat Hammer by competing

with Hammer to make better movies than Hammer could make,

but with lower budgets.

For example, the budget for "City of the Dead" was £45,000.

That's about $126,000.

And to do that,

they took advantage of what was called the Eady plan.

That was a tax that they collected on box office receipts

that created these kickbacks for any producers

who would make films in Great Britain.

And to qualify for that subsidy,

85% of your cast and crew had to be British.

And the film had to be shot in the U.K.

So Amicus Films,

the eventual name of their company,

was set up specifically to make horror films and anthology films

in England, because they decided

that that was the shortest route to profitability,

and they were right.

Subotsky wrote or co-wrote almost all of their releases,

including "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors",

"I Monster", uh, "Tales From the Crypt",

"Vault of Horror", "At the Earth's Core",

and their partnership continued well into the 1970s.

If you remember "The Monster Club."

-Of course. -Which we had on the show

a couple of years ago,

that was actually not an Amicus film,

but it was the same two guys.

And, um, the last short film in that anthology,

by the way, had Stuart Whitman traveling to

a town very much like Whitewood,

you know, a town full of ghouls that didn't want to let him go.

I assume they were using the same paraffin fog.

Um, but in general, Amicus films were darker than Hammer films.

They were brooding and claustrophobic, like this one.

And, um, one thing I really like about this one

is the spectral dancing in the lobby.

That was creepy.

Well, creepy to everybody except Nan Barlow.

She went and put on her party dress

so she could go dance with those zombies,

only to be disappointed when they disappeared.

And, um, speaking of spectral, I want to mention

Bridget Bishop as our honored witch for this break.

Uh, Bridget Bishop was brought up on witchcraft charges

in 1692 at the age of about 60,

because she was, um, she had prior offenses.

13 years earlier,

she'd been sentenced to stand gagged in the marketplace.

Apparently, she had a smart mouth.

So she she called her husband names on the Sabbath.

That was apparently a crime at the time.

And then a year later, after that,

she got publicly whipped for fighting with her husband.

And her face was bruised and battered

because her husband beat her up all the time,

and she'd already been accused of witchcraft in,

um, 1680, when her husband called her,

quote, "A bad wife who sits up all night with the devil."

And, um, she got a theft charge in 1687 for stealing,

quote, "brass objects."

I don't know what they were.

And, uh, her husband was dead by that time.

And then in 1692,

she was arrested for practicing witchcraft on five victims

who testified at the trial

that they had seen her in their dreams.

Now, that was legal evidence at the time.

They called it spectral evidence.

And, um, she was officially convicted of torturing,

afflicting, pining, consuming,

wasting, and tormenting five women.

And she became the first woman ever executed based on testimony

entirely from the dream visions of her accusers.

-Oh, that's so stupid.

-Spectral evidence. Spectral dancing.

Those Puritans do not mess around.

Then or now.

Let's have a moment for Bridget Bishop.

All right, back to the movie.

What are the other great Amicus movies?

-Um, "Torture Garden." "Asylum."

-"The House That Dripped Blood."

-Yeah. "Scream and Scream Again."

-"Terrornauts." One of the worst titles ever.

It was Sam Rosenberg who would always change the titles.

But he was not the culprit

who changed "City of the Dead" to "Horror Hotel"

when it was released in the US.

Uh, what do you think of "Horror Hotel" as a title?

-I like it,

but it's a little too cutesy for this movie, I think.

-Well, Sam Rosenberg had a hell of a time

getting any North American distribution for

"City of the Dead", so he finally ended up making

a deal with this company called Trans-lux,

which was a New York company that their main business was

they made electric signs and projectors

and stock tickers and things like that.

But they were also the first company

to start building movie theaters in shopping malls.

So Rosenberg was interviewed about why the title was changed,

and he said, "Because I had to go with Trans-lux.

They were the guys who called it Horror Hotel,

and they were fascist cocksuckers."

So now I tell the story,

because that sort of sums up the personality of Max Rosenberg.

-I like it. -And by the way,

I have no reason

to believe that the gentleman running Trans-lux in 1962 were

either fascists or cocksuckers.

I'm just relating little exploitation history.

-And thank you for that.

-Colorful dude, Max Rosenberg.

-I like him.

[Static crackles]

[Phone ringing]

-Hello?

Yeah.

It's the police.

Yeah.

Okay, thanks.

Thank you.

-Well?

-The police sent a car out to the Raven's Inn.

Nan checked out two weeks ago.

-I don't get it. -Well, neither do I.

Look, these are Nan's books and papers.

Go through them.

See if you can find anything which might give us a lead.

I'm gonna pay a visit to a colleague of mine.

-Oh, Lord of Light, accept this sacrifice.

[Doorbell buzzes]

[Doorbell buzzes]

[Doorbell buzzes]

[Doorbell buzzes]

-Why, Barlow. -May I come in?

-Well, yes, of course. Please do. Can I take your coat?

-I tried to phone you last night,

but I guess you weren't in.

-No...No, I wasn't.

Would you care to go in the study?

-Sit yourself down. -Thanks.

-You take a drink?

-Brown soda.

-Ice? -Please.

-Now what's on your mind? -Well, Nan's missing.

And she has been since the day after

she arrived at Whitewood.

-Really? You quite sure?

-It's what the police said.

-What are they doing about it? -Carrying out a routine check.

I don't suppose they can much more

until they've got something definite to go on.

-I would have thought there was a very great deal

more they could do. -What?

As far as they're concerned, she disappeared two weeks ago,

and no one in the village seems to know anything about it.

-What have you come to see me for?

-I thought you might have some ideas.

Why did you send her to Whitewood?

-Because it was the best place for her research.

-And you suggested she stay at the Raven's Inn.

-Sure. It's the only inn there is.

-With an unlisted phone number?

-The inn has its own clientele, Barlow.

It doesn't need to advertise. -How do you know it so well?

-Because I was born in Whitewood.

-I see. Then you'd have every reason to believe

she'd be perfectly safe in going there.

-I've no reason to suppose that she wouldn't be.

Nan struck me as being perfectly capable

of taking care of herself.

-I grant you that, but why hasn't she

come back, or let us know?

-Now, Barlow, I can understand your anxiety,

but I'm quite sure there's nothing for you to worry about,

nothing at all.

She's probably got absorbed in the subject,

and gone off someplace.

I wish that all my class had her application.

-Yeah, well, I'm gonna find out where this application led her.

I'm going to retrace every step Nan took.

I'm either gonna find Nan, or know what happened to her!

-I can't stop you from going. -No.

-You're not afraid? -Afraid? Why?

-Well, if anything did happen to your sister,

and somebody went to find out about it...

-The same thing might happen to them?

-It's possible.

-You seem to think something happened to my sister then.

-No. I just think you're jumping to conclusions, Barlow.

-Maybe, but I shall find her. -[Doorbell buzzes]

-Professor Driscoll? -Yes.

-I don't like to disturb you, but may I see you?

-Of course. Please come in.

-Good luck in Whitewood. -Thanks.

-I'm sorry, but did you say he was going to Whitewood?

-Yes, he is.

-It's silly to be surprised, but I've just come from Whitewood.

-Really? It's quite a coincidence.

My family happens to be from Whitewood.

As a matter of fact, I was born there.

-Yes, I know. -Please sit down.

-Thank you.

-Care for a drink? -No, thank you.

I think you know my grandfather, the Reverend Russell.

-Russell? Oh, yes, of course I do.

How long have you been living in Whitewood?

-Since my grandmother died a few weeks ago.

-Oh, I'm sorry.

Well, now how can I help you?

-I've come about a pupil of yours? Barlow.

-Nan Barlow? -Yes.

-She came to Whitewood two weeks ago.

I met her and liked her.

And she told me that she was a student in one of your classes.

That you recommended that she stay at the Raven's Inn.

-That's quite right, I did.

-Well, that's what I've come to see you about.

On the day after she arrived, she disappeared.

-Oh? -Later, the police came

asking questions.

The family were worried.

I thought you might have their address.

-And why do you want her family's address?

-Because I have something of hers I want to return.

-Well, you jus leave it with me,

and I'll make sure they get it safely.

-Well, I don't want to trouble you.

If you just give me their address...

-As you wish.

Her address is Dorchester Street.

225.

She lives with her brother. As a matter of fact,

he's a colleague of mine, you just met him.

He was leaving when you arrived.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot of work to do.

I'm rather a busy man at the moment.

-Of course. Thank you for your help.

-Not at all. I hope it achieves something.

Well, you will remember me to your grandfather, won't you?

-Yes, of course. Goodbye.

-Goodbye, Miss Russell.

-Yeah, it's Nan's locket, all right.

-As far as I know, it's unique.

I gave it to her. Where did you get it?

-The servant at the inn gave it to me. It was strange.

I don't think she wanted Mrs. Newless to know I had it.

-Mrs. Newless? -She runs the inn.

-Oh. Why did you come here, Miss...Miss Russell?

-I found this.

-It's Professor Driscoll's note paper.

-I found it in a book I lent your sister

on her first evening in Whitewood.

When she didn't return it, I went to the hotel.

-What was the book?

-An old book. A book about witchcraft.

-Do you believe in it, Miss Russell?

-I don't know. Sometimes I think I almost live with it.

-Live with it?

-It's an obsession of my grandfather's.

Up till now, I didn't take him seriously.

He's an old man.

But now I'm beginning to wonder if what he says isn't true.

-What does he say?

-That there's something evil about the village.

And on certain nights, the inhabitants leave the streets,

close their doors, and stay behind them.

That on these nights, the dead come to life.

-Nights like Candlemas Eve?

-What do you know about Candlemas Eve?

-It's in one of Nan's books.

-I don't believe it! Things like this don't happen today.

-In Whitewood, I wonder.

I'm going to Whitewood tomorrow after classes.

I can give you a lift.

-Thank you, but I must get back.

I can't leave my grandfather alone. He's blind.

-May I come and see you when I arrive?

I'd...I'd like to have a talk with him.

-Please do. It's the house next to the church. Goodbye.

-Goodbye. -I'll see you to the door.

[Door opens, closes]

-Would you be going to Whitewood?

-Yes.

-Would you take me along with you?

It's a dark night for walking.

You're the Reverend Russell's granddaughter, aren't you?

-Yes, how did you know?

-I know a great deal about Whitewood.

-Have you ever been there? -Now and then.

-I've never seen you.

-To see me is a special privilege.

It's reserved for a chosen few.

-What does that mean?

-We'll soon be at Whitewood now.

-This is as far as I go. You will...

-She's pretty, too.

-Yes, she is. Very pretty.

-A living descendant of those who were cursed.

It somehow seems to make it better.

[Clock chimes]

-Another day.

-And tomorrow...

-The Witches' Sabbath.

[Clock chiming]

[Static crackles]

-Yeah, this is the part that drags in the middle

with a whole lot of talking scenes.

And those scenes would be even deader

if it weren't for the crisp acting of Christopher Lee.

This movie was at the height of Christopher Lee's career,

when he worked pretty constantly,

sometimes made seven or eight movies a year,

but he always said

that he preferred great small roles to mediocre lead roles.

Uh, Christopher Lee's breakout role was, of course,

"The Curse of Frankenstein" in 1957,

the very movie that inspired the grudge

that Milton Subotsky had against Hammer.

So I'm sure using Christopher Lee in his own movie

was one way to sort of steal Hammer's thunder

for Milton Subotsky.

Uh, what do you think was Christopher Lee's greatest role?

-Oh, my gosh, I don't know.

Um, Lord Summerisle might be the popular answer for that.

-"The Wicker Man." -Yeah, yeah, yeah.

-I can't believe we've never shown "The Wicker Man."

I know Christopher Lee loved that picture.

-Yeah, I love him as Rasputin, too.

-Of course you do, Rasputin.

-Oh, and...

-The Duke? -Yes.

-Duke Richleau. -Richleau.

-Yeah, it's another one.

We've got to show at some point.

It's a Hammer film, right?

-Yes. "The Devil Rides Out." -Okay, right.

-That one.

Oh, and if you're including Bond villains,

Scaramanga is top tier.

-Which Bond film was Scaramanga?

-"The Man With the Golden Gun"?

But honestly, if you mean my personal favorite,

I have to go with Drac.

There's not a lot of acting in it,

and I know he got tired of being associated with it, but...

-Well, he did Dracula, like, seven times.

-And that was just for Hammer.

He did Dracula for other companies, too.

But Lord Summerisle is probably his best acting,

and it was one of his favorite roles.

But I really also love Rasputin.

It was a fun, meaty part. I don't know, man.

They're all great.

-Because of all these roles, for years,

people spread rumors

that Christopher Lee was an occultist.

Uh, partly because he played so many villainous parts,

but also because he did have some weird hobbies.

For example,

he attended the last public guillotine execution in France

in 1939, and the mob got so crazy

that France stopped using the guillotine in public

and switched to private executions.

Christopher Lee also memorized the names

of every public executioner in England since the 15th century.

Um, but he was definitely not an occultist

because he made that extremely clear

when he spoke at University College in Dublin

just three years before his death in 2015.

And in fact, he warned the students

there against Satanism in all its forms.

Of course, isn't that exactly what you would expect

Professor Driscoll to do?

-He sells evil extremely well.

-You may be wondering, as many people do,

why Christopher Lee does not get top billing in this movie.

I mean, he didn't get top billing in the Star Wars films

or the Lord of the Rings films,

or most of the hundreds of films he appeared in.

But why would he have second billing to Dennis Lotis?

-That is a very good question.

-Dennis Lotis, like Venetia Stevenson,

was one of those temporarily famous performers.

He was actually a heartthrob crooner of the '50s in England.

He was like a Vic Damone or a Bobby Darin.

He had that level of fame in England.

He'd been born in Johannesburg, South Africa,

where he was a boy soprano.

But he left home in 1940 at the age of 15

to join Ted Heath's big band.

And then from the mid-50s on,

he was a hot solo recording artist,

frequently heard on BBC Radio.

And when the Heath Band played every Sunday night

at the London Palladium, they needed a police escort

to get rid of the hordes of women

who were trying to get close to him.

His biggest hit was "Cuddle Me."

But his most controversial song was a 1954

single called "Honey Love" that was banned by the BBC

because of, quote, "suggestive noises."

So anyway... -Interesting.

-He plays Nan Barlow's boring brother,

who is now on his way to Whitewood

to find out what happened to her.

Accompanied by Nan's boring boyfriend, played by Tom Naylor,

whose entire career is pretty much this one movie.

Originally, there was no brother in the story,

just the boyfriend.

But, you know, hey, they had a chance to get Dennis Lotis,

so Milton Subotsky added the character

to the original script of George Baxt.

Uh, the original script was just 55 minutes long

because it was intended as a TV pilot for Boris Karloff,

but that deal fell through,

and so Subotsky turned it into a full fledged feature.

Are you getting a second wind?

-Oh, man, I've already gotten a third and fourth wind.

Whoo!

-Well, thanks for playing hurt, because --

-That's what good mail ghouls do.

-All right, well, in honor of you and your fellow witches,

we will speak now of Wilmot Redd,

executed on the darkest day of the Salem witch trials,

September the 22, 1692,

when eight witches were all hanged together.

That's why it's a holy day for witches.

Wilmot Redd was the least well known of all the witches.

She was the wife of a fisherman in Marblehead, Massachusetts,

and a constable just shows up at her house one day

and says he has a warrant for her arrest

and she has to come with him

and answer questions in front of several children.

So she's taken to the house of Nathan Ingersol

in Salem Village, and as soon as she walks in,

several girls that she had never seen or met go into convulsions

and start screaming and choking.

And so she was indicted, executed,

and buried in a pauper's grave that was unmarked.

The location of it is unknown to this day.

It's as though she never existed,

except here on "The Last Drive In",

where we honor her during break four of "The City of the Dead."

-Was she young or old?

-Almost all these women were, um, middle aged.

She was just described as a, quote, "irritable woman."

It's sort of Internet justice, you know.

Well, aren't you irritable today?

You should probably die, you know?

Just like people on the internet.

All right, back to the movie.

-What?

-Darcy, what do you what do you think of

"Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child"?

-Ooh.

Uh, well, I like it,

but it is definitely the beginning of the end for Freddy.

-Not one of the more popular Elm Streets.

Right? -I would say not.

-But you're also an Iron Maiden fan.

-Oh, my God, who isn't? -All right.

-I see where you're going with this, though.

-Yeah, because didn't you go to a big Iron Maiden show

at a football stadium somewhere?

-I've been to a few of them.

Yeah, I went to, uh, Memorial Coliseum.

-Okay.

Did they perform "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter"?

-Probably.

-Okay. -Like I remember.

-Because in early 1989,

the record label Zomba asked Bruce Dickinson

to produce a musical track for "Nightmare on Elm Street 5".

Bruce Dickinson being the lead vocalist of Iron Maiden.

And, uh, they made it really easy on him.

They said, "Here's a budget, here's a studio,

here's a producer.

Just give us a track."

So he was intrigued by the idea,

and he called up his old friend, um, Janick Gers, his guitarist,

who was about to join Iron Maiden,

and together they wrote

"Bring Your Daughter To the Slaughter",

and they wrote it in a hurry.

Dickinson says he wrote the song in about three minutes,

but Zomba liked it so much they asked him to do a solo album,

which he did, and that was the beginning of his solo career.

So the movie that the song was written for

gets savage reviews, doesn't make very much money.

But Steve Harris, the founder of Iron Maiden,

says, "I like that song,

let's record the song for Iron Maiden."

Even though it sounds like an AC/DC song, I like it.

So Iron Maiden records it.

They release it on Christmas Eve 1990.

It goes to number one on the charts.

It's the only number one song that Iron Maiden ever had.

And the video goes viral, or as viral as you can go in 1990.

But the whole video, this is my point.

The whole video for the most successful Iron Maiden song

ever is just "The City of the Dead."

It's all clips from "The City of the Dead."

-Do you know why they picked this movie?

-I think because Sam Rosenberg had screwed up

and let it go into public domain,

but I'm not sure.

-Is that why we're showing it tonight?

-Darcy, don't be a snark, okay?

-Makes sense. -We have many reasons

for showing movies here. -Do we?

-Public domain is one of them.

[Laughter]

[Static crackles]

♪

[Engine starts]

[Engine starts]

♪

♪

♪

-Which way to Wamport Road?

-Straight ahead. Fork in the road. You see a sign, turn left.

-You heading for Whitewood? -I am.

-Many people head this way? -Not many.

-Is this the only way in and out of the town?

-In this direction, yep.

-You wouldn't remember by any chance

a pretty girl in a convertible about a month ago?

-The Barlow girl. Read about her in the papers.

Never seen her again.

-I told the police. -Thanks.

♪

♪

♪

-Could you tell me the way to Whitewood, please?

-Another one. Straight ahead.

Fork in the road. See a sign, "Wamport Road",

turn left as you ride in. -All right, thanks.

-Let me warn you, young fellow.

They don't like strangers in Whitewood.

-Okay. Fine. Thanks very much.

♪

♪

♪

[Laughing]

-[Tires squeal] -[Laughing]

-Good evening. -Good evening.

-I'd like a room, please.

-The inn is closing.

-Well, I'll only be here a few days.

-But the inn is closing.

-When? -In two days.

-Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to stay until then.

-If you insist.

-And could I...could I have the same room my sister had?

-It's still available, isn't it? -Yes, it's available.

-Mrs. Newless, you told the police

that my sister checked out.

-You are mistaken, Mr. Barlow.

I told them that on the morning of February 2nd,

I went to her room and found it empty.

Her bed not slept in. Her luggage and car gone.

And her bill unpaid.

-Well, you can put the charges on mine.

When was the last time you saw her?

-On the evening of February 1st.

It was shortly before midnight.

She'd been in the lobby dancing with some of the guests.

She seemed to be enjoying herself.

-Did any particular guest pay special attention to her?

-Not that I noticed. Your sister kept very much to herself.

-You know why she came to Whitewood?

-It is not my habit to inquire into people's private business.

-Would the fact that she was investigating witchcraft

have antagonized anyone in the village?

-Hardly. There have been other students here, you know.

Besides, your sister was a very agreeable

and likable young woman.

-Well, have you any idea where she might have gone?

-None. -Thank you.

Now, may I see the room?

-As you wish. It is this way.

If you should need anything and I am not at the desk,

you have only to ring the bell.

-Thank you.

-Hello. -I'm so glad you've come.

I saw your car outside the Raven's Inn earlier.

I wondered what had happened to you.

-I've been talking with Mrs. Newless,

and then I took a walk around the village.

-Find out anything?

-Everyone here seems to be afraid of something.

-Then you don't think it's just my imagination?

-I don't know.

Who's to say where imagination ends and truth begins?

It's nothing tangible. It's...

Just the way they look at you.

-I felt it, too.

-May I see the... the book that Nan borrowed?

-Yes, I put a marker between the pages

where she must have stopped reading.

Just sit down, and I'll tell my grandfather you're here.

-Thank you.

-I warned you, Lottie.

-[Gasps]

[Gags]

[Static crackles]

-Poor Lottie. Such a sympathetic character.

And they just strangle her like a wounded animal.

That actress was Ann Beach,

who had just made her debut in the West End in 1958

and would go on to many character roles

in a long career.

And the guy who strangles her,

Jethrow, he's an interesting character.

You get the impression that he's Elizabeth Selwyn's love slave

or something, right?

Although he denies consorting with her in the opening scene,

I assume consorting means having sex with her.

Is that what they mean by that? -I think so, yeah.

-But his whole job is apparently to stand

out on the highway and pretend to be hitchhiking

so he can bring victims to his beloved witch mistress.

Good character. Unctuous. What does unctuous mean?

Oily, right? Unctuous means oily.

I think he's unctuous.

So that actor is Valentine Dyall,

who was somewhat famous in England.

He was sometimes called the British Vincent Price.

He had been a radio star in the 1930s.

He was the narrator of a suspense anthology show

called "Appointment With Fear" that was so popular

that after six years of hit shows,

they rebranded it as

"Valentine Dyall as The Man in Black",

since that's what the narrator was known as --

the Man in Black.

But, um, he came from an acting family.

He could hold his own on the stage.

He made his professional debut in 1930

when he played Macbeth at Oxford.

He had several film roles,

starting in 1942 with "The Missing Million",

which was an Edgar Wallace crime film.

Edgar Wallace was sort of the Stephen King of his day,

more like a cross between Stephen King

and Agatha Christie.

He was huge in England.

They were just crazy about Edgar Wallace.

Milton Subotsky wrote some Edgar Wallace adaptations.

Uh, John Moxey, the director of this film,

would make several Edgar Wallace TV shows in the '60s,

but Valentine Dyall was probably

best known in film for "The Haunting" in 1963.

He played Mr. Dudley in that classic by Robert Wise.

And I haven't really talked about John Moxey, the director.

Um, this was his first feature film.

He was in his mid 30s.

He had gone to college at Sandhurst,

the British West Point.

So he was an officer in World War II,

but he never wanted to do anything except film.

And so as soon as the war was over,

he started as an editor,

and he worked his way up to directing early British TV,

which was live TV.

And he became a specialist in the TV movie.

There was a very popular British show called

"ITV Play of the Week", and he did 27 of those.

And then, even though this movie never found its audience,

this movie was noticed by producers.

So he got a series of low budget feature jobs --

"Foxhole in Cairo",

spy movie, "Death Trap", Edgar Wallace mystery,

"Ricochet", Edgar Wallace thriller,

"Downfall", Edgar Wallace, programmer,

"Face of a Stranger",

which was a variation on "The Hands of Orlac."

Also Edgar Wallace, as was "Strangler's Web."

And for most of those years, he was working

at a studio called Merton Park in South London

that was sort of a second feature mill.

They were the American International

of England.

Probably the best of those cheapies that he made there

was "Psycho Circus."

A Klaus Kinski movie from an Edgar Wallace story

that reunited him with Christopher Lee

in a supporting role.

Anyway, he was so good at the second feature mill.

He could work fast. He could work on schedule.

He could work under budget.

Where does a guy like that end up?

American television, of course. So he eventually moves to L.A.,

starts making TV movies for Aaron Spelling.

12 day shoots. He knew how to do that.

He ends up directing literally hundreds

of American TV series episodes,

including the pilot TV movie for "The Night Stalker."

Um, but there are two accomplishments

that I think outrank all the others.

One is he directed the very first season

of "Coronation Street" in 1960.

"Coronation Street" is the longest running

soap opera in the world.

More than 11,500 episodes and still counting.

And his second great achievement is that he directed

the first 10 episodes -- 10!

Count them, 10 episodes of the greatest

private eye action series of the '60s.

You know what I'm talking about, Darcy.

You know what that is. -Oh, no way.

-10 episodes! I'm talking about "Mannix."

-I know you were talking about "Mannix"!

-Starring Touch Connors,

the Armenian American star on John Wooden's

UCLA Bruins basketball team, turned actor,

who could run a 12 second 100 meter dash wearing

dress shoes and an Armani suit.

Back to the conclusion of the movie

that gave "Mannix" director John Moxie his start.

"City of the Dead." Roll it.

10 episodes, including the pilot episode.

-Oh, my gosh, was all that really necessary?

-Darcy, we now know the secret element

that created the magic of "Mannix."

-Did I tell you that your ringtone on my phone

is the "Mannix" theme song?

Like the entire "Mannix" theme song.

-I'm actually very touched by that, Darcy,

that you would do that.

-It just seems appropriate for you.

-You know that theme,

the "Mannix" theme was written by the great Lalo Schifrin,

who I know, if I'm not mistaken...

-I know. -...he does the piano solo on

that, uh, himself.

You get that big open from the saxophones,

and then they drop out.

You get that little piano improv thing before the horns come in.

And Lalo Schifrin on the -- That's on your ringtone.

-Are you done?

-Well. I'm excited. You know, I found this.

I feel like I'm closer to the director of Mannix

after finding out about John Moxey's TV career.

-Still not as good as "Cannon."

-Did you just say that? -I said that.

-Darcy.

-It's no "Cannon". Deal with it, man.

-Get real. I mean...

The next thing I know,

you're going to start praising "Barnaby Jones"

or something like that.

-I've actually never seen that one.

-You never saw "Barnaby Jones"?

Jed Clampett as a private eye in LA. Ugh.

-What? No, that sounds fun. -Oh, don't even.

-Really? -Don't even. Don't.

[Laughter]

[Static crackles]

[Clock ticking]

-Grandfather, this is Mr. Barlow.

-How do you do, sir? -God be with you.

-Shall we sit where we'll be more comfortable?

Here's your chair, Grandfather. You must be tired.

-I am. Really tired.

I have little strength left these days for the fight.

-Won't you sit down? I'll make some coffee.

-Fight against what, Mr. Russell?

-Against the evil that besets this village.

The people are creatures of the Devil.

They know no other God.

-You mean they worship Satan here? Today?

-Satanism was never stronger than at the present time.

For 200 years, the people of Whitewood

have carried out rituals that mock the Church's teaching.

-I find it very hard to believe, sir.

-Do not doubt, my son.

It is real enough.

For years, I struggled against the witches.

Their master took away my sight.

-It seems incredible.

-I have tried to convince others.

They too found it unbelievable.

But I know these people have a pact with the Devil.

To worship him and do his works.

In return, he gives them eternal life.

-Eternal life? -Aye.

And to seal this bargain, they must sacrifice a young girl

on two nights of the year.

-When are these nights, sir?

-Candlemas Eve and the Witches' Sabbath.

-Candlemas Eve. That's February the 1st.

-And when is the Witches' Sabbath?

-Tonight. -Now you know why

I came to see you.

-I had no idea it was so late.

May I...may I have a rain check on the coffee?

I'd like to have a few words with Mrs. Newless again.

-Of course. -Good night, sir.

-Good night. -I'll see you to the door.

-God be with us.

-Miss Russell, do you think that Nan's disappearance

is connected in some way with these...witches' ceremonies?

-Yes.

-Well, I'd...I'd like to come back later, if I may.

-Please do. And my name is Pat. -And mine's Richard.

-I think I feel better now you're here.

-Well, I'm...I'm gonna stay

until I find out what's happened to Nan.

-Take care.

Now drink your coffee before it gets cold.

-You must not see that young man again tonight.

-Why not?

-The Devil comes in many disguises.

-I'll get you a spoon.

Grandfather, there's a bird in the drawer.

It's got an arrow through it.

-Go and look on the front door.

-It's a sprig of Woodbine. -Shut the door!

Shut the door quickly!

-Grandfather, what does it mean?

-Now, listen, my darling.

This is their sign. The witches' sign.

-What can we do? -We must leave here.

Leave here immediately.

-I'll start the car.

[Engine sputters]

Something's wrong.

They've wrecked the car.

-Barlow! Phone Barlow!

-Hello? Hello?

Hello. I want the Raven's Inn.

[Phone rings]

-Yes? Mrs. Newless.

Mr. Barlow?

-Is that for me? -Yes.

-Hello?

-Dick, Dick, I'm in terrible danger.

We've got to leave Whitewood at once.

-Danger? But from what?

-We've got to leave... [Screams]

-Pat? Patricia! -Please help me!

Pat!

-[Laughs]

-Patricia! Pat!

Pat!

Patricia!

Mr. Russell, are you there?

Mr. Russell.

What's happened, Mr. Russell?

-The witches...

The witches...have Patricia.

Destroy them.

-Mr. Russell, how? -The shadow of the cross.

Use the cross.

I adjure thee, O creatures of salt

by the living God!

-Mr. Russell.

Maitland! Maitland, what, what's happened?

[Thunder rumbles]

-Pat! Patricia!

[Thunder rumbles]

Hello? Hello, operator?

[Singing in distance]

[Singing in distance]

[Door thuds]

[Singing in distance]

Damn!

[Singing in distance]

[Switch clicks]

[Gasps]

[Singing in distance]

Pat!

-We've been waiting for you.

-Dick, these are the dead who killed Nan!

-Barlow!

-[Screams] -[Gunshot]

-Please help me! -[Gunshots]

-Come on, Pat! Hurry up!

-Quick! This way!

Dick!

Dick!

[Singing]

[Screams]

[Singing]

No!

-Pat! -Dick!

[Singing]

-[Groans]

[Singing]

[Thunder crashes]

[Singing]

-[Gasping]

-Maitland!

Get to a cross! A cross!

A shadow of a cross!

[Thunder rumbles]

-[Gasps]

-[Screams]

[Bell tolls]

[Singing]

[Bell tolls]

[Singing, bell tolling]

-Dick! Dick, he's moving!

[Bell tolling]

-Lift the cross!

[Singing, bell tolling]

-Quick!

[Singing, bell tolling]

[Pat screams]

[Bell tolling]

-O creatures of salt, I adjure thee by the living God.

-[Screams]

-Back from the cross!

-Come nearer, Bill.

Get the shadow over them!

-It comes nearer.

-We dare not fail. We must finish the sacrifice.

[Pat screams]

-Dick! -Pat!

-Wait. Wait for the hour of 13.

-[Screams]

[Bell tolling]

[All screaming]

[All screaming]

[Thunder rumbling]

-Pat, are you all right?

-I think so.

Bill!

-[Gasping]

-I have a score to settle with Mrs. Newless.

You stay here.

[Clock ticking]

-[Screams] -[Gasps]

[Thunder crashes]

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

[Static crackles] -And so Elizabeth Selwyn

trying to put one over on us as innkeeper

Miss Newless ends up as a charred corpse

beneath her historical marker.

And I do love the ending of "The City of the Dead."

I have a ridiculous affection for this movie

because I do see all the faults of it,

but I especially love the wounded boyfriend hoisting

the cross and aiming the shadow of it.

It's not the cross itself,

according to the blind old Reverend Russell.

But the shadow of the cross

that'll kill the undead minions of Satan.

So, he's aiming the shadow of the cross

at the advancing Puritan zombies.

And watching them explode in fireballs.

I just love that scene.

And even though I love the images,

though, I have to ask the question.

It's dark, it's night, it's foggy, it's raining.

How can you possibly find enough light

to cast a shadow from the cross?

Somehow the doofus boyfriend of the dead Nan does that

and saves the life of the perky antique shop owner

who's been marked as the second sacrifice of the year.

Sadly, "The City of the Dead" did not make much of an impact

when it was released in 1960.

The British release was in September of 1960,

and the pathetic box office made it impossible

to get any kind of American release

until September 12, 1962,

when it finally premiered as "Horror Hotel"

on a double bill with Roger Corman's "I Mobster",

and they slowly moved it around the country.

And it didn't show up in New York until September of

1963, when Max Rosenberg was still trying to ballyhoo it

by offering, quote,

"iced blood" in the lobby of a crummy

little Times Square theater,

where it was a co-feature with a 1959 cheapie

called "The Naked and Satan", which was obscure --

that was obscure when it was made in West Germany,

and it remains obscure today.

Crowds stayed away in droves.

Um, John Moxey would change his name to John Llewellyn Moxey

and become one of the top television guys in Hollywood

right up through the '90s.

He was still directing "Murder She Wrote" episodes in

the '90s before retiring to the Puget Sound area,

and he died there in 2019.

Uh, but he was Mister TV Movie.

Uh, he directed at least 40 of them.

The last one was "Through Naked Eyes",

an ABC movie of the week in 1983.

Patricia Jessel, I think,

should have been top billed in this movie.

She's really the lead. Um, she would die early.

She lived seven more years, had a heart attack at the age of 47,

after several years of bouncing back and forth

between stage and screen.

Now time was really running out for the music and film

careers of Dennis Lotis.

Um, once the Beatles came along,

he lost all of his record contracts.

Um, and the other five films

that he did failed to register with the public.

Uh, he tried the stage.

He starred in John Osborne's play

"The World of Paul Slickey."

But, um, it was booed off the stage.

Uh, John Osborne was actually chased down the street

by the angry theater going crowd,

and it closed after one performance.

Um, eventually, Dennis Lotis retired to a chicken farm in,

uh, Hertfordshire, just north of London.

And he opened a restaurant

and an antique shop in the little town of Tring.

He had a brief nostalgia tour in the '80s.

He performed a farewell concert in 2005

when he was 80 years old, died in 2023 at the age of 98.

Valentine Dyall, who played Jethrow,

worked right up until his death in 1985,

did a lot of "Doctor Who" episodes

as the Black Guardian with

both Tom Baker's Doctor Who and Peter Davison's Doctor Who.

Christopher Lee felt typecast in London,

so he moved to Hollywood in the '70s

and sort of transformed himself in the Star Wars movies,

several Tim Burton flicks,

but especially the Lord of the Rings films.

He was the only guy on the Lord of the Rings set

who had actually met J.R.R. Tolkien.

Uh, he spoke eight languages, could do any kind of accent.

He once voiced every role in a film,

but he admitted that his weakest accent was the American accent.

Uh, Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg

had a tempestuous breakup in 1975.

Amicus ceased to exist, but both men continued to produce films.

Subotsky bottomed out.

He had two disastrous projects --

"The Land That Time Forgot."

Notoriously troubled set.

Doug McClure was drinking heavily.

Subotsky was spending most of his time

at Hamley's toy store with his 4-year-old son.

And then "Welcome to Blood City",

a terrible sci-fi western.

He eventually made a living by producing Stephen King films

in the '80s before passing away in 1991.

Uh, Max Rosenberg, on the other hand, moved to California,

produced "Cat People" with Nastassja Kinski,

was still producing

and distributing films well into his '90s.

He was famous for being a regular at

Canter's Deli in Hollywood.

Great place. I love that place.

-I know you do.

-He would show up wearing a racing cap and a tie

and black glasses

and make deals right up until his death in 2004.

Uh, George Baxt,

who wrote the original script, the one for Boris Karloff

that Subotsky rewrote to make "The City of the Dead",

would work with Moxey on all those Edgar Wallace movies

in the '60s, and then he would spend most of his life

writing murder mysteries set in Hollywood's golden age,

with movie stars helping solve the cases.

And they would -- they all starred

a private eye named Farrow Love,

who was black and unashamedly gay.

Baxt died in 2003.

And Venetia Stevenson, she gave up acting.

She married Don Everly,

she raised some kids, and then she got divorced,

and she told an interviewer,

"I've had a very narrow existence

because movies are all I know."

So Burt Reynolds hired her as a script reader,

and she did so good at that

that she moved up to executive level

at a production company called Cinema Group,

and she oversaw big movies like "Take This Job and Shove It."

and "Southern Comfort",

and she also became a computer database analyst

so that she could move away from Los Angeles.

And then in 2022,

she died of Parkinson's disease

at a health care facility in Atlanta.

-Aw. We should have interviewed her before she passed away.

-I know, we have missed several celebrities

that we lost around the pandemic time.

-I know. -Um, anyway, I think

I finally said everything

I can possibly say about "The City of the Dead."

I love this movie.

So we're going to be moving on to

the revolutionary Japanese flick about a ghost witch, "Ringu."

But first, what have you got in the mailbag?

-Oh, yes. -Got to do that.

-We have some artwork

that came in from Michaela Stormer of

West Salem, Ohio.

-Okay. We do have some artwork here.

Good afternoon. My name is Michaela Stormer,

and I am an artist with high functioning autism

who specializes in horror themed and horror host related artwork.

I thought I would send to you two artworks

that I made featuring you and Svengoolie together.

I already sent these to Svengoolie

in honor of Svengoolie receiving

the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Jamboree.

She is, uh,

talking about the 2024 World Drive-In Jamboree

at the West Wind Drive-In in Las Vegas.

Uh, and thanks to everybody who showed up for that.

We had a record crowd this year.

Um, first up, this is a pencil drawing of you and Sven

going to the drive in.

All right, here it is.

-That's good.

-Okay. Um, the other artwork is you

surprising Sven in his coffin.

And I see I'm holding a rubber chicken.

We had hundreds of rubber chickens.

-Lots of rubber chickens.

-In Las Vegas.

Um, there's something I think we should do.

Sven has invited us to be on his MeTV show,

and we just have never worked it out.

-Well, we definitely need to do that.

-We do need to do that. -Yeah.

-Um, anyway, "Thanks and have a great day.

Michaela Stormer, West Salem, Ohio."

We're going to have to build a gallery for all the artwork

that we get from the mutant fam,

and we're especially proud of these two, Michaela.

Um, the next time we do any show in Akron or Cleveland

or Sandusky or anywhere up in northern Ohio where you are, uh,

you're our guest.

Just let me know, and I'll put you on the "get in free" list.

And that's about it for the first half of Walpurgisnacht.

We're going to break out some libations in the second half.

Are you up for that, Darcy?

Or are you libationed out? This is your third day.

You're entering your third day.

-I can never get libationed out.

-Okay, then you are slicker than a harpooned hippo

on a banana tree, and the drive in will indeed never die.

-What kind of pants does a ghost hunter wear?

-I don't know. What kind?

-Just a paranormal pants.

-Ha! No, I like that one. That was good.

-Ah.

A snail gets beat up by two turtles.

The police asked the snail what happened.

Snail says "I don't know, it all happened so fast."

-No.

-All right, well, that's all I got.

-Paranormal.

[Laughter]