Connect with us

News

Fred Gwynne: Munster on the Screen, Monster in our Hearts

Published

on

Fred Gwynne, born July 10th, 1926, gave the world a lifetime of lovable antics and treasured memories. Anyone fortunate enough to have grown up watching The Munsters will remember Gwynne’s career best as the endearingly clumsy patriarch of the monster-friendly family, Herman Munster.

Gwynne’s playful role as this gentle giant gave the already established look of Boris Karloff’s most famous role (Frankenstein) brand new life. Underneath the box-top cranium Gwynne rejuvenated a familiar looking icon and brought decades worth of giggles rather than screams as he lumbered around smashing down doors (accidentally) and breaking through walls episode to episode.

(Image courtesy of Uncle Oldie’s Collectibles)

Gwynne brought humor to a character whose counterpart previously embodied pathos and dread, but he did so without one moment of disrespect to the revered Frankenstein franchise – even though it was a departure from the gothic take on the reanimated abomination sewn together by Dr. Frankenstein.

I must stress that Herman Munster is not the classic creation of Victor Frankenstein, but the similarities are undeniable, and not just in their dapper good looks.

(Image courtesy of The Red List)

Gwynne’s Herman – much like Karloff’s counterpart – was all too eager to fit in with his neighbors, but they just couldn’t see past the monster on the outside. However, Herman proved to his viewers that it doesn’t matter what we look like on the outside, it’s who we choose to be on the inside that makes the difference.

Gwynne’s portrayal was that of a loving father who was always ready to offer his son Eddie (Butch Patrick) sound words of wisdom, and was ever supportive to his vampire wife, Lily (Yvonne De Carlo), proving to be a genuine TV role-model.

(Image courtesy of Tumblr)

With an irresistible smile and contagious charm, Fred Gwynne shone in the role. His Herman wasn’t afraid to just simply be himself regardless if he fit in or not.

Not content to leave the genre just yet, Fred Gwynne would play another pivotal role which would leave a lasting impression upon horror fans for generations to come. Still the gentleman as always, Gwynne would play the kind-hearted neighbor who would both befriend the Creed family and gravely warn them about “that damn rohd” that had claimed so many local pets.

(Image courtesy of Movie Stills Database)

Though the movie was not about his character, it’s hard to imagine Stephen King’s Pet Semetary without Fred Gwynne playing the crucial role of Jud Crandall. As the audience, we can’t help but hang onto every word he says.

When he begins to explain the darker nature of what lies restlessly beyond the make-shift graveyard, we all feel the temperature drop. Whatever scares him immediately scares us. Even South Park featured a character who was the spitting image of Gwynne’s Crandall, once again demonstrating the impact his career has held over our culture.

“Sometimes dead is better,” he would warn Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) with a heavy air of foreboding, but already the Creeds were doomed. The accursed powers silently waiting outside the limits of the Pet Semetary had patiently launched their evil schemes against the Creed household. Desperation can lead a man to do unwholesome things, and after all, “the soil of a man’s heart is stonier.”

For a lifetime of both laughs and chills, we fondly celebrate the successful life of a kind man and honor his memory.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

on

28 years later

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading

News

Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

Published

on

Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading

Movies

‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

Published

on

Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading