Looking Back at "The 4:30 Movie"

If you grew up in the 1970s, well before the days of DVD, VHS, cable, and internet streaming, and long before almost every movie or TV show was a click away, you had to watch your favorite genre movies when they were shown on regular TV. For science-fiction and horror fans in the New York area, this meant viewing programs like Chiller Theater on WPIX and Creature Features on WNEW, but there was another place to catch films like the Planet of the Apes saga, The Omega Man, Godzilla vs. the Thing, and The Blob. It was a show where you could see one of these films each weekday after you got home from school! Of course, I’m talking about WABC’s The 4:30 Movie. This much beloved weekday afternoon movie showcase ran from 1968 until 1981. The 4:30 Movie began as a two-hour program, but about a year into its run, settled into its more famous 90 minute format.

The 4:30 Movie would often broadcast theme weeks dedicated to a particular actor, genre, or film series, so there would be a Jerry Lewis Week, Elvis Presley Week, John Wayne Week, Beach Party Week, or Secret Agent Week. But what really made The 4:30 Movie beloved by genre fans of a certain age were things like Planet of the Apes Week, Vincent Price Week, or the ever popular Monster Week. After doing your homework, you could plunk down in front of your TV, and see Charlton Heston in Soylent Green, Ray Harryhausen’s incredible stop-motion creations in Mysterious Island, or giant monsters terrorizing Japan while battling it out in Frankenstein Conquers The World. The local editions of TV Guide used to run a lot of clever and often humorous ads for the movies running during those theme weeks.

 

The 4:30 Movie was an essential component in my development as a film fan, and it helped shape and inform my love of movies. As a devotee of fantastic films, The 4:30 Movie was the place where I first got to see movies like the Roger Corman helmed Poe adaptations, such as The Pit and the Pendulum, the original The Fly, the Hammer thriller The Gorgon with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and Journey To The Center of the Earth with James Mason, which like many films with longer running times, was split into two parts. Because of the 90 minute format of the program, most movies were edited to fit into that time frame. But if a film had an even longer running time, it would be split into two parts. The second part would begin the next day with an off screen narrator recapping the events of part one over the film's credits, and the movie would then start about fifteen minutes to half an hour from the close of the previous day’s installment.

The 4:30 Movie wasn’t just about sci-fi, fantasy and horror films. You could check out classics like The Great Escape, Ben-Hur, and indulge in other theme weeks, including Caper Week, Romance Week, Suspense Week and Western Week. The program also screened the TV movies compiled from the short-lived Planet of the Apes TV series, featuring new introductions filmed by Roddy McDowall, who had played Galen in the show, and had portrayed Cornelius and Caesar in the Apes films. That was worth planning your afternoon around! For a burgeoning film buff like myself, The 4:30 Movie was a go-to destination to see movies back in the day. It was a little sad to see the show end its run in 1981, when the expansion of local TV newscasts and the expanding cable and home video market took its toll on the broadcast of movies by local stations. You can watch the program’s memorable and iconic opening of The 4:30 Movie following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2es-lfRSDOI.

Caught Up In "The Grip Of It"

Moving into a new house can be a daunting task, but its usually an exciting and positive event. In Jac Jemc's extraordinary and eerie novel, The Grip Of It, James and Julie, a young married couple, purchase a house in the country, in order to escape the big city, and put the problems caused by Jame's gambling addiction behind them. What they don't know is that the house contains a supernatural presence that will threaten their already tenuous relationship.

The chapters of the novel alternate between the points of view of Julie and James, who tell the story of the frightening events they experience from their own perspectives. Much like the locations in classic tales of terror like Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, Richard Matheson's Hell House, and Stephen King's The Shining, their new home is alive, and the effect it has on the couple will shatter them both mentally and physically, particularly in Julie's case. She suffers from the appearance of mysterious bruises on her body that change in size and location, and has some severe hallucinations.

The house seems to have a mind of its own, with strange writing appearing on the walls, previously unseen rooms and pathways opening up, and there are odd noises which occur on a regular basis. Julie and James also both experience instances of lost time. When James begins to dig into the history of their new home, he finds out that its past is plagued with troubling incidents. As the strange and otherworldly occurrences begin to multiply in number and intensity, the couple begins to suspect one other of being behind them.

The Grip Of It is an unsettling thriller that builds up to a powerful climax. This isn't just a tale about a haunted house, it's a story of a haunted relationship. Jemc's superb prose effectively conveys the fractures between Julie and James. You can feel the severity of the stresses caused not only by the supernatural forces beset them, but from the cracks that already exist in their relationship. Could it be that the problems between them are the cause of this haunting, or is the house using the issues in their relationship against them? There are no easy answers in The Grip Of It, but if you're a fan of literate chillers and exceptionally told tales of the darkness lurking within, check out Jac Jem's terrifying novel.

Marc Platt's "Golden" Reflections

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've no doubt come across my previous posts regarding the superb work of singer-songwriter Marc Platt. He's released some terrific albums in the last couple of years, including Dis Time It's Poisonal and Colors of The Universe. He's back with The Golden Ticket, the follow up to this past April's That Midlife Thing, and like that excellent record, this latest album finds him in a reflective mood. While That Midlife Thing featured Platt's ruminations on middle-aged men and the emotional territory we all navigate these days, The Golden Ticket widens its focus to take a look at the state of the world we live in, and how that world has changed in the last few years.

Tracks like "The Fighting Americans" and "Banana Republic" deftly examine the current political and ethical landscape. We are living in a much different world right now, and the insightful commentary contained in these observational songs really hits home. Whatever side of the fence you're on, you can't deny the feelings these tracks will stir up in you. It's refreshing to see an artist as accomplished as Platt put himself out there on songs like these, which aren't the last bit preachy, but definitely get their point across.

While Platt takes a look at some weighty issues on The Golden Ticket, he hasn't forgotten about the type of music that's his forte. The album also includes several of the thoughtful songs about love and relationships that are the hallmarks of his best work. Give a listen to exquisite selections such as "All My Life," and "When Love Has Gone Wrong." Those tracks, and the evocative "Extraordinary" and "Watching You Sleep," are expressive, powerful songs that deftly examine the complex nature of modern relationships. These poignant songs will touch your heart and infuse themselves into your spirit. For Marc Platt, there's always a ray of light, even in the darkest moments.

 

The Golden Ticket closes with the Dylan-esque, folk-inflected "God Owes Us Nothin," which in my opinion, is one of the best songs Platt has written to date. Like many of the tunes in his oeuvre, it has a definite 1960's vibe, but still manages to sound fresh and up to date. As usual, Platt's vocals and guitar work are top notch, and he's also done a masterful job producing the album. The Golden Ticket is a great record, and like Marc Platt's previous work, absolutely deserves your time and attention. Check out the tracks on the album at https://marcplatt.bandcamp.com/. Here's a link to the video for "Dark Side," the opening track of the album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXaf2pDqBno.