The Clothes Makes The Killer
Season 2: Episode 24
Psycho (1960)
The granddaddy of all slasher film, Alfred Hitchcock’s low budget shocker was a milestone as he shot this in black and white with his television crew which is a huge step considering that his previous film was the technicolour masterful North by Northwest.
Adapted from the book by Robert Bloch with screenwriting duties by Joseph Stefano, the film would go on to be a true film classic. The film is also the first horror film to receive four Academy Award nominations. Often ranked as one of the greatest films of all time and setting a new level for sex, violence and deviant behaviour in film.
The film stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Lee, Martin Balsam, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Pat Hitchcock. It also has the classic Alfred Hitchcock brief walk on. See if you can spot it.
We welcome back Vincent di Sante (Never Hike Alone) who joins us on our Season 2 opener. You can find more information about Vincent di Sante on his website: https://www.wompstompfilms.com or you can follow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wompstompfilms?lang=en or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wompstompfilms/ If you want to have a special treat, make sure you watch Never Hike Alone available on YouTube now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K_wkQSM8xM
Opening Credits (.20); Introduction (3.04); Forming the Plot (15.47); Prologue (18.45); Page to Page (19.11); Commercial Break (1:12.01); Film Trailer (1:12.44); Commercial Break (1:14.24); Lights, Camera, Action (1:14.57); Epilogue (2:29.30); End Credits (2:34.35); Closing Credits (2:36.50)
Opening Credits: Prelude – From the motion picture soundtrack Psycho – composed by Bernard Herrman.
Closing Credits: Sweet But Psycho – by Ava Max – Taken from the album Sweet But Psycho.
All rights reserved.
All songs are available through Amazon.
Season 2: Episode 25
Homicidal (1962)
William Castle’s now infamous take off of Psycho is now a modern B classic. Released with a ‘fright break’ where audience, if too scared, could leave and get their money back. If an audience did want their money back, they would have to sit in a special section called ‘Coward Corner’ and sit there as the audience left before their money was refunded.
The film would break box office records and placed on the top ten films of 1962. The films shock ending surpassed Psycho’s for some critics but the audiences ate it up. The film starred Jean Arliss (Joan Marshall), Patricia Breslin and Glenn Corbett. A matter of interest is Jean Arliss whose real name is Joan Marshall would be cast in the pilot of The Munsters as Phoebe Munster but the part would be cast when it was picked up with Yvonne DeCarlo playing the same character but now as Lily Munsters.
Our special guest host Will Millar has written about William Castle. If you would like more information, you can find them on his blog which are the following links:
Part 1.
http://inadventofthezombieholocaust.blogspot.com/2012/06/william-castle-part-one.html
Part 2.
http://inadventofthezombieholocaust.blogspot.com/2012/07/like-lot-of-people-i-believe-that-kid.html
Dressed to Kill (1980)
Brian DePalma’s ode to Psycho in his 1980’s classic Dressed to Kill would set a new bar in shock with an already tried formula. The 80’s audience were not ready for this film when it hit cinemas but it would go on to be a modern horror classic.
Released initially with an X rating then trimmed to get a hard R rating, Dressed to Kill would be released as a erotic mystery thriller. The film stars Nancy Allen, Michael Kain, Angie Dickinson, Keith Gordon and Dennis Franz. Music score by Pino Donaggio and written and directed by Brian DePalma.
We are joined by Matthew Brockmeyer author of Kind Nepenthe, winner of the Maxie award 2018 and Will Millar, author of Infernal Machines and Children of Judas series. Make sure you check out their work on Amazon which both authors are receiving fantastic reviews and you do not want to miss a single release from these two incredible authors.
Opening Credits (.20); Introduction (4.26); Forming the Plot (9.17); Prologue (16.35); Commercial Break (17.07); Film Trailer (17.39); Page to Page (20.03); Outlining the Script (54.57); Commercial Break (58.11); Film Trailer (58.42); In Sequence (1:00.51); Lights, Camera, Action (1:12.56); Epilogue (1:51.01); End Credits (1:59.42); Closing Theme (2:02)
Opening Credits – Dressed to Kill (Pulsion) – composed by Pino Donnagio from the album Nicholas Winding Refn Presents: The Wicked Die Young
Closing Credits – Dressed to Kill – by Cher from the album Closer Than Truth
All songs rights reserved
All music available through Amazon.
Season 2: Episode 26
Frenzy (1972)
Known as the last great Hitchcock film, this 1972 film was the first Hitchcock film to show full on nudity and would turn the notch up from the violence we experienced in his earlier film Psycho. Set entirely in England and using locations set around London as the scene, this film became a box office smash.
Frenzy starred Jon Finch, Anna Massey, Billie Whitelaw, Jean Marsh and Barry Foster. The script was written by Anthony Schaffer who would go on to write The Wicker Man and screenplays for Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile amongst others. This is Hitchcock in all his finer tuned qualities to make this his penultimate film before his death.
Opening Credits (.20); Introduction (3.23); Forming the Plot (5.27); Commercial Break (14.45); Film Trailer (15.15); Commercial Break (15.55); Scene by Scene (16.38); Lights, Camera, Action (17.22); Epilogue (1:00.30); End Credits (1:02.15); Closing Credits (1:04.12)
Opening Credits: London Theme from Frenzy – by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra from the album Psycho – The Essential Alfred Hitchcock Collection.
Closing Credits: Psycho Killer – by The Flying Pickets – Taken from the album Lost Boys.
All rights reserved.
All songs are available through Amazon.
