Mr. Sardonicus

"William Castle's Shockers", presented by the very undead folks from Cinefamily at Hollywood, California's iconic Silent Movie Theatre, has been running Saturday nights in October. Of course there will also be a double feature on Halloween night, Sunday, October 31st.

If H.G. Lewis is the Godfather of Gore, then William Castle must be horror’s lovable Grandfather ... or at least its sneaky uncle. And just like family, we sometimes take him for granted, relegating him to the bowels of schlock cinema - a term that celebrates the gimmickry of niche movie making but not its inherent ingenuity.

Many genre fans today know the name William Castle, but not so many are aware of his full and lasting impact on it. Back in the late Fifties and on through the Sixties, his was a name that was synonymous with horror films. Further, his name was – and remains – one that defines the term “spectacle” in modern film history. Castle was a man who never forgot that “show” is the first word in “show business.” He knew, instinctively, that if you gave the movie-going audience a decent show, the business part would take care of itself.

Many genre fans today know the name William Castle, but not so many are aware of his full and lasting impact on it. Back in the late Fifties and on through the Sixties, his was a name that was synonymous with horror films. Further, his name was – and remains – one that defines the term “spectacle” in modern film history. Castle was a man who never forgot that “show” is the first word in “show business.” He knew, instinctively, that if you gave the movie-going audience a decent show, the business part would take care of itself.

A quick follow-up to yesterday's news story about the New York City Return of William Castle. In typical Castle fashion you just can't keep a good ghoul down! Get ready to hear from "the man himself" regarding the upcoming film festivities!

If someone were to ask us to name our top ten directors of all time, the name William Castle would sit firmly somewhere within the top five. The man was not only a true showman but also an absolute genius. If we have one regret in our tenure here at Dread Central, it is that we weren't around during Castle's heyday of insane gimmicks. The man was without question the godfather of viral marketing, and it's taken the rest of the industry decades to catch up. If you live somewhere within the Tri-State Region, we have the info on an event that you do NOT want to miss!

William Castle is a hero around the Dread Central offices. The man was a true showman in every sense of the word and knew how to deliver laughs, chills, and lunacy like no other! Come this October fans will be getting a box set to scream about courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment -- The William Castle Film Collection!