A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM THE “MASTER OF THE MACABRE” WILLIAM CASTLE
“Don’t think that a little thing like being dead would preclude me from attending “The Return of William Castle” retrospective at the Film Forum in New York City beginning on Friday, August 27th.
I am very much present. And I do so remember how I loved scaring the living daylights out of all of you … But I’m not done yet. Not by a long shot. I am sure you are dying to know what to expect from me now that I’m back with FROM THE GRAVE!, a new tale of terror and my first novel, that will scare a corpse out of his own grave.
So, everyone, if you get a whiff of my beloved Don Diego #5 cigars during “The Return of William Castle” retrospective, don’t be alarmed, know I’m there with a grin that stretches from here to eternity. And for the faint of heart, beware we might meet in
the ‘Coward’s Corner.’”
WHO: My daughter Terry Castle will be on hand Friday night to introduce the opening double bill of “The Return of William Castle” retrospective. The dear child had a most unusual childhood and has endured the legacy of a father who is indeed larger than life. I wonder what she will say about me? Does she believe I’m back FROM THE GRAVE?
WHY: I never met a gimmick I didn’t like and many consider me to be the godfather of the modern horror movie genre and at the vanguard of “experiential films.” And to think I died in 1977 thinking I was unsuccessful.
BACKGROUND: I made over forty B movies following a formula for box office success: low-budget chillers geared to the burgeoning Youth-sploitation market including The Tingler, House on Haunted Hill, 13Ghosts, Macabre, Strait-Jacket (the latter scripted by Psycho’s Robert Bloch), and Homicidal – which TIME magazine liked better than Psycho. They called me a master of ballyhoo who shamelessly promoted his pictures with highly effective gimmicks, some of which will be lovingly re-created for the Film Forum’s 15 film retrospective, “The Return of William Castle” running August 27 through September 6 in NYC.
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