Most people reading this website might come to the conclusion that All Hallows Eve (Halloween) could be our favorite holiday. Well, guess what - you're right! The upcoming issue of FilmFax-Plus is featuring one of my all time classic Halloween characters - not Frankenstein, not Dracula, not the Mummy. No, not the Creature from the Black Lagoon, but fandom's foremost ambassador, Bob Burns! This issue features an in-depth look at Bob's legendary Halloween shows that took place at his marvelous home for decades. The interview and cover art is provided in grand style by one of FilmFax's most talented writer/artists, Vincent DeFate. We'll keep you updated as to a street date.

Speaking of Bob Burns, on September 25, Bob, George Lydecker (Ted's son) and your humble web host were featured on a panel at the 75th Anniversary of Republic Pictures in Studio City, California, at the old Republic/Mascot Film Studios. It was quite a day in spite of the blistering heat, with Hollywood luminaries like Hugh O'Brien, William Smith, Adrian Booth, Anne Jefferies, Gregg Palmer, Donna Martell, Robert Easton, in attendance. There was plenty of fun for all ages with cowboy trick ropers, stunt exhibitions, a dealers' room, and some down-home country pickin' from some of the finest musicians in the business. The celebration was well attended, and a good time was had by all.

I was on the panel because Michael Bifulco and I just released our new tome, The Legendary Lydecker Brothers (The Godfathers of Special Effects), which is available on Amazon.com. The panel was moderated by Melissa Sanford, who brought the latest addition to her family (a daughter) resplendent in a Captain Marvel outfit.

While we're on the subject of costumed guests, Rocketman made a grand entrance during out talk in the personage of Gary Hughs, who has produced, directed (along with Ruben Contreras) and acted in Thirty Second Doom, a fantastic tribute to the Rocketman serials filmed at Republic Pictures. Rocketman fans can only hope for a commercial release of this grand work, which pays homage to the legendary Lydecker brothers! Anyone interested in Gary's stellar work can contact him at www.rocketmania.com

Now switching gears, while writing the Lydecker book there was some down time, during which I saw some new DVDs, Universal's The Wolfman was one of my leisure evening delights. I missed the theatrical release of this show, but was pleasantly surprised with the unrated version of the picture. While not a faithful remake of the 1941 film, The Wolfman should be taken on its own merit, and not be compared to the original. If one can get past that, this is a highly enjoyable tale. It has its lush production with beautiful cinematography, and highly effective performances from lead players Benico De Toro and Anthony Hopkins, plus stand-out makeup effects from the master of makeup Rick Baker. (It's also available in Blue Ray. More info can be gleaned at Universal Studios Home Entertainment.com.

On a related note, our good friend Bruce Dettman loaned me a dynamite book called Return of the Wolf Man by Jeff Rovin. Published in 1998 by Berkley Boulevard Books, this is a rare high-ticket item on E-Bay. The novel begins at the conclusion of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein and author Rovin weaves a totally enjoyable tale of the further adventures of our favorite lycanthrope, with loads of in-jokes (character names, etc.) to fascinate readers who are unfamiliar with the legend of Larry Talbot. With just a word of warning - this is a hard to find book, so if you're really serious about adding it to your library, you're gonna have to work for it (and pay for it).

Now sometimes one (after a hard day's night of writing) has to boogie! So on that front, several great releases came out this spring. First was the remastered Rolling Stones classic Exile on Main Street. This once ignored jewel has gained lots of respect from fans and critics over the decades, having been derided by reviewers at the time of it's release. But my friends and I thought it was a winner from the get-go, so much so that we used to bellow along to "Sweet Virginia" while driving on the freeways in and around the Los Angeles area - much to the distraction of the other motorists. What was that line? "Got to scrape that */^# right off your shoes."

A month or so later, the Stones released a documentary entitled Stones in Exile chronicling the genesis of this masterpiece, featuring Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Keith Richards, Bobby Keys, Anita Pallenberg, and the voice of their late producer Jimmy Miller. The double CD set is the best sonic representation of this 28 year old work ever presented for public consumption. With ten bonus tracks from that era (reconstructed with present day technology), this and the sixty minute documentary is sure to please Stones fans young and old! The CD set is distributed by Universal Music , while the DVD is licensed to Eagle Rock Entertainment www.eaglerockent.com ]

Another new release from Eagle Rock Entertainment is the stellar new documentary When You're Strange (A Film Written by The Doors written and directed by Tom DeCillo. This film was produced by legendary producer Dick Wolf and features never before seen footage of the Lizard King and his bandmates. Narrated by actor Johnny Depp, this DVD features a bonus interview with Jim Morrison's father (the only interview Admiral Morrison ever granted) and his sister Anne Morrison-Chewning, reminiscing about Jim's life with and without The Doors, and his untimely death. A companion CD soundtrack was released in conjunction with the Depp reading, fifteen of Morrison's poems, and The Doors of Perception by William Blake, along with a generous helping of live tracks and studio recordings. There never will be, and never has been, a band that has had the effect the Rolling Stones or The Doors have had on so many generations, and these two entries are proof positive of that.

On a spookier note, Collectors Choice Music, with Cameo Parkway, is bringing out two golden nuggets from their vaults by John Zacherle. Monster Mash (from 1962, which came out before Mash originator Bobby "Boris" Pickett's LP hit the stores) and Scary Tales are offered on one CD. With bonus tracks of "Dinner With Drac Part 2" and "Igor" plus two alternate versions of "Scary Tale"(from Mother Goose), this collection should be the perfect pumpkin stuffer for Halloween. There's Zach's original liner notes (where he's preparing dinner with a cement mixer (which the interviewer just happens to accidentally fall into), and a new set of notes by the Lovin' Spoonful's own John Sabastian - all this and the original stereo mixes.

Happy Halloween, whatever you are!

For more info, check out www.zacherley.com, www.ccmusic.com , or www.chillertheatre.com

Back on the cinema front for a second, Turner Classic Movies Spotlight in partnership with Warner Brothers Home Video released The Charlie Chan Collection. This contains the last three Monogram Charlie Chan flicks with Sidney Toler, two of which feature our favorite funnyman Mantan Moreland, and one with Bob Hope's sidekick Willie Best. The last Toler Chan The Trap features Kirk (Superman) Alyn, two years before he portrayed Krypton's only surviving son. The last show in this collection, The Chinese Ring is Roland Winters' debut as the oriental sleuth. Ordering info from www.TCM.com/shop .

Speaking of Willie Best, Universal Home Video teamed up with Turner Classic Movies for a six film box et of hope - Bob Hope, that is! Three of these movies are seldom seen treasures. Thanks for the Memory was one of the pictures Hope made after his silver screen premiere, with the out of circulation Cat and the Canary making it's DVD debut after a short run on cable in the mid 80s. Ghost Breakers (which sounds like a Bowery Boys film title, which they're still showing on TCM Saturday mornings) is a tour-de-force for Willie Best's comedic antics, and a second outing for Hope and Goddard. Nothing But the Truth couples Hope with Edward Arnold, with Willie Best along for another laff feast, with a plot line that turns up decades later in contemporary film. Rounding out this set are two releases, with Road to Morocco and The Pale Face.

Now if your trick or treaters are sick of laughing, once again TCM will provide spine-tingling chills on their network and with two new DVD quadruple bills. The first is from the UK's famed Hammer House of Horror. Featured in this set is the ground-breaking Horror of Dracula with Dracula Has Risen From the Grave for the vampirifically inclined, and Curse of Frankenstein and Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed for those who like some volts with their bolts. The second set from tCM's greatest classic films features the 1941 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Todd Brownings Freaks, Robert Wise's classic The Haunting, and 1953's House of Wax, which is a remake of Mystery at the Wax Museum. If that isn't enough for you, Oldies.com has a sale on classic Samuel Z. Arkoff cult classics Earth vs. the Spider with War of the Colossal Beast, Day the World Ended with The She Creature, How to Make a Monster with Blood of Dracula, and last but not least The Viking Women and the Sea Serpent with Teenage Caveman.

Enough for now.
Jan Alan Henderson