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.

The Awakening: A Flawed Ghost Story

I love a good, well-produced ghost story. Movies like The Haunting (1963), The Legend of Hell House (1973), The Sixth Sense (1999), The Others (2001),) and Guillermo Del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and Crimson Peak (2015) are some fine examples of what can be achieved in this sometimes overdone genre. The Awakening (2011) tries to evoke the feeling of those films, but only partially succeeds. Rebecca Hall (The Town) stars as Florence Cathcart, a woman in 1920s London who debunks fake spiritualists. It’s clear from the outset that she’s suffered a loss of her own, and that loss is what drives her on her quest to expose these charlatans. She believes in rationality and science, and not ghosts or the spirit world.

One day, a history teacher at a boy’s school asks for her help. The recent death of a student has been attributed to the sightings of a ghost; the staff wants her to investigate. Florence travels to the school, and rather quickly solves the mystery…or does she? Most of the students and staff depart for a holiday break, but Florence stays behind, feeling there’s more to the story. Strange events that can’t be explained start to occur. It appears that there may actually be a haunting at the school. Aided by the teacher, the school’s matron, and a boy who stays behind because his parents are away, Florence begins to unravel the mystery.  But the answers she find just may change her beliefs forever.

Directed by Nick Murphy and co-written by Murphy and Stephen Volk, the movie is handsomely filmed and has some eerie moments, courtesy of the cinematography by Eduard Grau. But we’ve seen this all before, and sharp viewers are likely to figure out the plot twists before the story’s conclusion. The metaphors (World War I’s horrors haunting the history teacher, for example) in the story don’t quite work; they aren’t fully explored. There are also a couple of characters that aren’t as well developed as they could be; the creepy groundskeeper is pretty much a stock villain. The movie is well acted (especially by Hall and Imelda Staunton, as the matron) but it can’t make up for the faults in the storytelling, or an inconclusive ending that wants to have it both ways.

The Awakening is an admirable, albeit flawed try at an old-fashioned ghost story. We’ve seen more successful attempts at this type of tale in films like the ones I mentioned above. It’s not a bad film, but it could have been so much better. If you’re looking for a more recent spooky tale to view on movie night, try The Woman in Black (2012), starring Daniel Radcliffe. It’s an effective chiller that has some good scares, and a solid, well-turned story. As for The Awakening, the film is currently available on DVD and Blu-ray and for digital download. Here’s a link to the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYtj9lpzC1Q.

"The Witch" is a Dark, Terrifying Tale

It’s a difficult task in today’s cinema to create a truly unique horror film, but that’s just what writer-director Robert Eggers  accomplished with the 2015 thriller The Witch: A New England Folktale. This eerie tale concerns a Puritan family who is banished from their colony because of their too strict religious beliefs. The family sets up a farm, which is located not far from a wooded area. William, the father, works hard to make their crops bear fruit, but they are failing. Strange things begin to occur. The family’s youngest child disappears while being watched by the oldest daughter, Thomasin. Was it a wolf that spirited the infant away, or something more sinister? The mother, Katherine, is inconsolable at the loss of her infant child, believing supernatural forces may be responsible. Her sanity begins to fray at the edges, and she focuses her ire (and the blame) on Thomasin, who claims she's innocent.

Caleb, the oldest son, goes hunting with his father, and confides that he is struggling with his faith. Young twins Mercy & Jonas claim the family’s goat, which they call Black Philip, speaks to them, and they sing songs to him. Caleb disappears one night, only to return feverish & in a coma, after a terrifying ordeal. Paranoia begins to set in, and everyone starts to distrust one another. A witch appears to be the cause of all their woes, but is this evil being among them? Katherine believes it to be Thomasin, since most of the strange events seem to center upon her. Things go from bad to worse, and ultimately the true face of the evil that haunts the family is revealed.  I don’t want to spoil the film, so I won’t say more about the plot. This is a story where the terror builds at a slow burn, and reaches a crescendo by the film’s climax.

The family’s religious beliefs are very real to them, and this threat tears those beliefs, and their bonds, asunder. The Witch: A New England Folktale is as much a story about the unraveling of the family unit & a challenge to its core values, as it is a supernatural thriller. Anya Taylor-Joy gives an assured & layered performance as Thomasin, whose gentleness, curiosity & humor seems at odds with the more stern, restrictive nature of her parents. The excellent cast also includes Ralph (Game of Thrones) Ineson who is solid & effective as William, Kate Dickie, who delicately portrays Katherine’s spiraling descent into madness, and Harvey Scrimshaw as the loyal Caleb, who powerfully conveys the boy’s questions & conflicted emotions regarding the severity of their spiritual beliefs, and the nature of sin.

Writer-director Eggers and his crew have done an excellent job with this carefully crafted, exquisitely produced film. The accurate period details, costumes and sets really make you feel as if you’re living with this family in the 17^th century. The kind of terror this family faces wasn’t just the stuff of bedtime stories; the demons of their religion & folklore were very real to them. The Witch: A New England Folktale is a creepy, unsettling film that does not go for “jump scares” or cheap shocks, but uses atmosphere, sound effects & lighting to convey a sense of unease & dread. If you like intelligent, well-crafted tales of spine-chilling terror, The Witch: A New England Folktale is truly one of the best recent films in the genre. The movie is now available for streaming & on Blu-ray and DVD. The disc versions include some fascinating interviews and a Q&A with the filmmakers. Here’s a link to the trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXmlf3Sefg.

A Trio of Horror Icons on "Route 66"

The stars of Route 66 meet the monsters

The television drama Route 66 aired for four seasons from 1960-1964. The show concerned the adventures of two young men who roamed the United States in a Corvette convertible, showing up in different locations every week.  Like Richard Kimble on The Fugitive, our heroes interacted with various people, helping them out of trouble, and often getting into some difficulties themselves. The initial co-stars were George Maharis and Martin Milner. Maharis later left the show, and was replaced by Glenn Corbett. The series was very popular with fans, and featured a host of stars to be in various roles, including Lee Marvin, Julie Newmar, and Walter Matthau. But on the night of October 26, 1962, longtime horror fans were given a very special Halloween treat, with the premiere of an episode entitled "Lizard’s Leg and Owlet’s Wing."

In this entry, our heroes Todd (Milner) and Buz (Maharis) are temporarily working as staff liaisons at a Chicago hotel, which is hosting a secretarial convention. Meanwhile, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, Jr. (playing themselves) arrive at the hotel to discuss a new project. They register with their first names reversed (Peter Lorre is Mr. Retep, for example) and once they’re together, Lorre and Chaney try to convince Karloff that old style scares can still be successful, even in a world where there is a more graphic "new" type of horror film. This leads to the trio causing all kinds of havoc at the hotel, including Chaney wandering the halls in his Wolf Man makeup, hoping to frighten the convention attendees! As Todd helps the titanic terror triumvirate with their shenanigans, Buz falls for one of the secretaries, and the two stories end up intertwining in more ways than one. Karloff even ends up helping fix the broken relationship of the object of Buz’s affections!

The best part of this enjoyable show is seeing Chaney and Karloff suit up as some of their most famous horror characters. Chaney gets to play the Wolf Man, The Mummy and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Karloff dons the makeup of the Frankenstein Monster one last time. Lorre, as always, has some great moments, including a funny scene at the hotel desk when he checks in under his “assumed” name. Karloff, Chaney and Lorre play off each other to great effect, and are clearly having a grand time. Martin Milner seems to be enjoying himself interacting with these iconic actors, and the story wisely focuses on their antics. The only truly outdated aspect of the episode is that (for modern audiences) there are some decidedly un-politically correct moments in the depiction of the secretaries, but that is a sign of the era in which the show was produced.

"Lizard’s Leg and Owlet’s Wing" was penned by Stirling Silliphant (who co-created the series) and directed by Robert Gist. Even if you’re not a familiar with Route 66, this episode is worth seeking out if you are a fan of Karloff, Lorre and Chaney, and their classic films. You may even find yourself opting to check out more episodes of the series; it's a well-written and handsomely-produced show, almost like an anthology series. As I mentioned earlier the show features a number of familiar faces in guest star roles, including William Shatner, Suzanne Pleshette and Edward Asner. The series is available for purchase on DVD, for viewing on Amazon Prime and also on the free streaming website TubiTv.  Here’s a link to a trailer for the DVD release of the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaT4pQDSWZw.

A Book Lover's Devilish Journey

In The Club Dumas (1993) by Arturo Perez-Reverte, rare book "finder" Lucas Corso is hired to authenticate a lost chapter of the Alexandre Dumas classic, The Three Musketeers. This eventually leads him on a journey to find two copies of a rare book called “The Nine Doors to the Kingdom of Shadows.” This book can supposedly be used to contact the devil himself. Corso becomes embroiled in a chase for this unearthly tome, as various allies and enemies try to either aid him or hinder his progress. It's a search that may just bring Corso more than he bargained for in the beginning.

Perez-Reverte’s novel features many in-jokes for bibliophiles and lovers of classic literature. Chapter sub-headings include quotes from famous fictional characters, including Poe’s famous detective, Arsene Lupin. As Corso tracks down the book, many pages features drawings, quotes and clues that aid Corso in his search.  We find out information as Corso does, along the way. Much of the trivia and in jokes revolves around The Three Musketeers, as characters and situations reflect those in the famous adventure story. The novel has elegant settings and interesting characters, including obsessive book dealers, forgers, devil worshippers and a mysterious girl whose origins (and true motives for helping Corso) are unclear.

The most well drawn character is Corso. He is a lover of books, but he's been corrupted by the nature of his work. We get inside his head, and understand how he thinks. He’s been an unscrupulous man, and, as the search goes on, he starts to doubt if he’s taken the right path in life. The plot keeps you intrigued as the search for the book goes on, with trips to Spain and Portugal along the way, colorfully rendered by the author. The novel is a treat for mystery fans that like working out all the angles of a puzzling story. Portions of the novel were turned into the movie The Ninth Gate (1999), starring Johnny Depp, but significant changes were made to the story for that screen adaptation. The Club Dumas is an intriguing book, and fans of literary mysteries will enjoy Perez-Reverte’s thinking man’s thriller. Perez-Reverte is the author of several other historical and literary themed thrillers, including 1990's The Flanders Panel, but The Club Dumas is one of his best.