The Songs and Stories of The Cowsills

Who are The Cowsills? You might recognize their most well-known songs: "The Rain, The Park, And Other Things" and "Indian Lake," or their playful cover of the title tune from the musical Hair. But there's much more to the story of this band, who rocketed to stardom for a brief time, then faded from view. The documentary Family Band: The Cowsills Story (2011) tries to shed some light on the rise and fall of the group that was the inspiration for the hit television series The Partridge Family. It's a story filled with twists and turns, and it's not without it's darker moments. The band was formed in 1965 by siblings Bill, Bob and Barry Cowsill. A bit later, their brother John, their sister Susan and their mother Barbara joined the group. Their first album, The Cowsills, was released in 1967 and the single "The Rain, The Park, And Other Things" rose to Number 2 on the charts.

Soon, The Cowsills were everywhere; performing on television shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show, as well as headlining successful concert tours and appearing in ad campaigns for organizations like The American Dairy Association. But there was a downside to fame. Their father, Bud, ruled the family with an iron hand, and could be argumentative and abusive. He regularly clashed with his wife and children, and often sabotaged the group's chances at further success by arguing with television and record company executives. When Screen Gems approached the family to portray themselves on a sitcom, the deal fell through when they were told actress Shirley Jones would play their mother on the show, instead of Barbara. The resulting series, The Partridge Family, co-starring teen idol David Cassidy, aired for four years on ABC. 

Family Band: The Cowsills Story is an insightful retelling of the rise and fall of the group, featuring interviews with the surviving members of the band and their extended family, musicians Tommy James and Waddy Wacthel, and some of the producers and songwriters who worked with them. It's obvious that the band's sunny pop facade hid some troubling secrets, and the film is fairly frank in its recounting of those moments, including an argument between Bud and Bill which ended in Bill being fired from the group, and Bud's arrest. The documentary also recounts the difficulties some of the band members had adjusting to life after their success ended. The film does manage to give us an update on what the various siblings were doing at the time of the film's release, but I wish there had been a bit more about their current successes. For example, Susan is now considered something of an indie rock icon for her work with groups like The Continental Drifters.

There are some wonderful vintage clips of the band included in the movie, as well as footage of some more recent reunion performances. If you're a devotee of 1960's pop, and like behind the scenes stories, then you'll probably enjoy Family Band: The Cowsills Story. But be prepared to see the down side of fame and fortune; no family is without its secrets, and The Cowsills certainly had their share. Their angelic harmonies and memorable songs have stood the test of time, and their story is fascinating, powerful, compelling and ultimately moving. The film was written by Louise Palanker, and directed by Palanker and Bill Filipiak. Family Band: The Cowsills Story is now available on DVD, and you can currently stream it on Amazon Prime. Here's a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btTbG0UZfXE.

Welcome to the "House of Dracula"

John Carradine & Martha O'Driscoll

Fans always enjoy seeing fictional characters interact, whether it’s in graphic novels like Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, blockbuster films like the recent Marvel and DC superhero franchises, or TV series like John Logan’s Victorian era horror saga Penny Dreadful. In 1943, Universal Pictures began combining their successful horror characters in Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, with Bela Lugosi as the Frankenstein Monster, and Lon Chaney, Jr. in his signature role as The Wolf Man. Even though the two “titans of terror” seemingly perished at the end of the movie, they returned in 1944’s monster mash-up House of Frankenstein. That film also featured a mad scientist, played by none other than Boris Karloff and Dracula, portrayed by John Carradine. Once again, in the story’s finale, it looked like most of these characters had met their end. But you can’t really keep a good monster down, can you?

House of Dracula (1945) brings together Dracula, The Wolf Man and Frankenstein’s Monster, as they all end up at the castle of Dr. Franz Edelmann, who’s researching a plant called clavaria formosa, which he hopes can be used to cure a variety of medical issues and illnesses. He has two assistants, Miliza (Martha O’Driscoll, in a role tailor made for Evelyn Ankers) and the hunchbacked Nina. Edelmann hopes to treat Nina’s condition following the completion of his research. But two visitors to the castle will change all that; a distinguished looking man named Baron Latos, who claims to be a vampire, and Lawrence Talbot, a troubled soul who insists that, during each full moon, he turns into a werewolf and kills people. Latos is of course, Count Dracula and Talbot is The Wolf Man. Both men want Dr. Edelmann’s help in ridding them of their conditions; for Latos/Dracula it’s his vampirism, and for Talbot, it’s the curse of the werewolf. Edelmann examines and diagnoses them, and concludes that they can be scientifically treated, and possibly even cured!

Onslow Stevens, Glenn Strange & Lon Chaney, Jr.

But the best-laid plans of men (even well-intentioned ones) often go awry. After rescuing a distraught Talbot from a suicide attempt, the two men discover the still living Frankenstein Monster beneath the castle, and Edelmann has the creature brought to his lab. He’s tempted to fully revive the monster, but is warned not to by Talbot. Edelmann applies his cure to Talbot, who anxiously awaits the results. Meanwhile, Dracula has set his sights on the lovely Miliza, and his darker impulses cloud his desire for a cure. When Dracula reverses the flow of a blood transfusion from Edelmann, the doctor becomes infected with the vampire’s blood, and temporarily transforms into a creepy Mr. Hyde like fiend, who then murders one of the castle’s workers. He also revives Frankenstein’s creation. The template is set for death and destruction, as angry villagers seeking revenge for the murder storm the castle, and the local police inspector heads there to find the killer. Of course, it all ends in a fiery finale, in true Universal fashion.

House of Dracula has several elements that make it worth watching. The film is fast-paced and briskly directed by Erle C. Kenton, which helps viewers overlook some of the inconsistencies with earlier entries in the series. Carradine is an effective Dracula, combining charm and a subtle sense of menace. He makes the most of his screen time here, after having what amounted to an extended cameo in House of Frankenstein. The rest of the cast is also strong; aside from Carradine and Chaney (who’s very good in the film) there’s Onslow Stevens as Edelmann, Jane Adams as Nina and the one and only Lionel Atwill as Inspector Holtz. What’s also interesting about House of Dracula is the concept that the monsters (specifically Dracula and The Wolf Man) have afflictions that can be medically diagnosed, treated and cured. The story mingles the classic origins of these characters with science (even psychology), and suggests there is another way to look at the cause of their “curses.” It was (and is) an intriguing idea. In fact, while Larry Talbot seemed to be cured by the end of the story, he’d be back to his lycanthropic ways in 1948’s classic comedy/horror hybrid, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein, which is the last time the classic monster line-up appeared together.

While no one will likely place House of Dracula among the best of the Universal series, it’s a fun film that will reward Universal horror fans with a great deal of enjoyment. How can you go wrong with a movie that features Lon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine, Lionel Atwill and Glenn Strange as Frankenstein’s Monster? The old adage “they don’t make them like this anymore” certainly applies here. The film is available on DVD and Blu-ray in several configurations and collections, so check out your online retailers for details. Here’s a link to the trailer for House of Dracula: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KLf-PjcxQg.

"Hill House" Haunts the Crain Family

Carla Gugino in The Haunting of Hill House

Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House has long been considered one of the true classics of horror fiction. The frightening novel (which counts authors like Stephen King among its most ardent fans) has been adapted for the screen twice. The first version was director Robert Wise’s The Haunting (1963), a well-received adaptation featuring Claire Bloom and Julie Harris. The 1998 remake, directed by Jan de Bont, starred Liam Neeson and Catherine Zeta-Jones. That special effects laden film strayed significantly from the original story, and was a box office failure. Now writer-director Mike Flanagan has created a new version of the story for Netflix. The 10 episode series, The Haunting of Hill House, is an atmospheric, chilling tale of the disintegration of a family, and the devastating effect that the evil title dwelling has on them.

The series tells the story of Hugh and Olivia Crain. They temporarily move into Hill House, a Massachusetts mansion, with the intention of fixing the place up and later selling it. Their five children, Steven, Shirley, Theo and twins Luke and Eleanor, come along for the journey. What should have been a relatively simple opportunity to flip a house turns into the most terrifying experience of their lives. The house seems to be alive, and preys on the fears and insecurities of the family; multiple ghosts appear, strange events occur, and each time they happen, the paranormal events become more and more disturbing. It all leads to a horrifying night on which Olivia ends up dead under mysterious circumstances, and the family is forced to flee the house. This series of events continues to haunt the Crains throughout their lives.

Michael Huisman and Timothy Hutton

Olivia’s death (and the pervasive influence of the house) fractures the family in ways that resonate across the years. Each member of the Crain family deals with the events that occurred in the house in different ways. Luke ends up a drug addict to numb his pain. Steven (despite not believing in ghosts or the occult) becomes a best-selling author of true-life ghost stories, including one based on the family’s experiences. Theo works as a therapist helping abused and traumatized children. Shirley operates a funeral home with her husband. Their father becomes a recluse who doesn't stay in touch with the family. But Eleanor (Nellie) is perhaps the most traumatized by her experiences, suffering from night terrors and sleep paralysis. She may hold the key to freeing the family from the house's dark influence.

The casting is perfect, and the performances are excellent across the board. The actors portraying the younger versions of the characters are well matched with their older counterparts. The stars include familiar faces such as Timothy Hutton, Carla Gugino and Annabeth Gish, as well as Michael Huisman, Henry Thomas (of ET fame) and Elizabeth Reaser. There are a number of “jump” scares throughout the series, but there’s also an unsettling atmosphere throughout each episode that builds to a crescendo of uneasiness, dread and real terror. The intensity level ramps up as the series moves forward, and the ultimate confrontation between the Crain family and the evil that lurks within Hill House will frighten you, amaze you and perhaps even bring a tear to your eye. And if you love ghosts, the show is tailor made for you, as there are multiple spirits, both good and evil, which appear throughout the story.

The carefully structured story of this "re-imagining" of the book moves around in time, flashing back and forth in a puzzle box style reminiscent of the series Lost. The transitions between the different time periods are cleverly done. Writer-director Flanagan (Oculus, Hush) and his crew deliver a brilliantly executed look and style to the series, especially in the startling sixth episode, which is built around several long continuous shots. There are also some clever callbacks and Easter eggs for fans of the original novel. I’ve tried to avoid revealing too much about the show, so that those who like to binge view their series spoiler-free can thoroughly enjoy the experience of watching the story and its twists and turns unfold. I highly recommend The Haunting of Hill House to fans of intelligent, well-crafted horror tales. Here’s a link to a trailer for the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9OzG53VwIk.