The BBC2 Horror Double Bills!

[Dr.Starr]

As its mid August the old BBC2 Horror Double Bill season would now be in full swing.

So to get everyone of a certain age nostalgic and dreamy eyed here's the Radio Times 28 June - 4 July 1980 kicking off the new season of horror double bills.

The Night of the Demon started at 10.30, the News Headlines were at 12.00, then The Ghoul commenced at 12.2 am.

Whilst waiting for the fun to start/attempting to stay awake, you had the choice of Greyhound Racing on BBC2, or Telford's Change over on BBC1. :)

[Jonny Rojo]

I used to try and stay awake for the BBC double bills all the time back in the day, usually the cricket had me asleep before the films started. I missed more films than I watched due to the boring sports that preceded the films.

No video recorders either then at my house, I used to leave my audio cassette recorder going sometimes to see if I could record the sound, which I usually did but only got 45 minutes worth...

[tobiaswragg]

When a young horror obsessive I used to record the soundtracks of the Horror Double Bills myself, as well as any other horror-related film on tv (this, of course, was before the advent of the VCR). I was so sad that I also recorded the trailers for the HDBs (some of which I may still have on tape actually).

[Vaughan]

Cult Movie Forums will soon publish a lengthy tribute to these - it should be online soon. ;)

[Deranged]

I always remember the "Universal followed by a Hammer" double bills. Catching Twins of Evil was probably a defining moment in my then young life!

[MarcMorris]

Cult Movie Forums will soon publish a lengthy tribute to these - it should be online soon.

That's what you call a coincidence eh? ;)

[Mark Y]

I remember watching Mystery Of The Wax Museum in the old faded BBC print while on holiday around 1981 (?), or possibly earlier. I also remember The Crazies being shown around the same time - it seemed like a big deal then, as the film had played cinemas not long before. The same with Zoltan Hound of Dracula, which the BBC showed around 1979/80. not that long after it had been released here. Those were the days... ;)

[Vaughan]

All will be revealed in the not so distant future. :)

[mr sinn]

I Remember Watching These, I Used To Stay At My Nans When I Was About 7 Or 8 She Would Let Me Stay Up Late, Saw Doctor X On One Of The Double Bills, Freaked Me Out As A Kid.

[mark meakin]

Certainly bought back some fond memories.I can also remember the lengthy Universal horror season on Channel 4 when they screened decent stuff including the original trailers for the following weeks films.There were also screenings of rare films from other studios like Columbia including Return Of the Vampire.

[Johnny_Alucard]

It's a shame that the bbc have stopped giving movie fans their seasons of summer time cult-horror movies, that started in the late 70s - early 80s, with the horror double bills. I've still got that very edition of the Radio Times somewhere. These really were quality stuff and have probably been the major influence for my love of the genre to this very day; they usually started with a black and white film - I remember initially there were classic universal horrors, which were then followed by all the Val Lewton classics, apart from 'The Ghost Ship', which turned up in a 'Lost and Found' film season - and then following on with something in colour and I have to say the beeb showed some rarely seen gems. I too remember 'The Crazies' and 'Satanic Rites of Dracula's' TV debut, anyone remember the phillipino duo of 'Superbeast' and the hilarious Tom Selleck vehicle 'Daughters of Satan' that were shown as part of these double bills? Then we got 'Moviedrome' with its emphasis on cult movies presented by Alex Cox initially and then later Mark Cousins...happy days...any such seasons now would probably be relegated to one of aunty's cable channels...

[Vaughan]

I think Marc has fallen asleep with our articles. :D

[reaper72]

Cult Movie Forums will soon publish a lengthy tribute to these - it should be online soon. ;)

Excellent-very fond memories of these double bills.....:)

[Dr.Starr]

To this day I still remember missing Dracula Prince of Darkness when it was shown during the 1976 season due to being sent to bed early for misbehaving :o

[MarcMorris]

I think Marc has fallen asleep with our articles.

Not at all - I think your articles were top notch - more please! I'd like to see some more follow-ups to what you wrote.

[Vaughan]

Just joshing.

Yeah - two or three more to come I'm afraid - got distracted by the Denis Gifford (A Pictorial History of Horror Movies) thing. Been a busy week. Was in Harrow today. Couldn't wait to get out. :D

Mustn't forget that - "The Missing ******s" article either... I think that'll be cool....

[bigandya]

I remember the BBC2 double bills - and falling asleep during the second film and hating myself all day Sunday as a result. Other highlights of my misspent youth (and early years) included the APPOINTMENT WITH FEAR season on Yorkshire TV, Friday nights, in the early 70s, with its title sequence of morphing monster faces followed by such classics as SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN, DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES, and COUNTESS DRACULA; The BBC2 precursor to Moviedrome THE GREAT AMERICAN PICTURE SHOW where I first saw BONNIE AND CLYDE and NIGHT MOVES; The ITV Monday night season "For Adults Only" with the David Soul TV film LITTLE LADIES OF THE NIGHT, kind of a cross between HARDCORE and TAXI DRIVER; and then the BBC2 screenings of THE OUTER LIMITS and THE TWILIGHT ZONE, the latter which I was recording religiously on a weekly basis UNTIL they decided to screen an extra episode FEVER without advertising it...which put paid to that one. Wonderful times, television in the 70s and early 80s. There's nothing like that now. I dont even look at TV listings anymore. And the excitement of getting hold of the Christmas Radio and TV Times back then...and planning festive viewing...well that couldnt be beaten either. And dont get me started on Summer Holiday viewing....

[drterror666]

I was an addict! I used to fall asleep sometimes as well and hate myself for it. If only they had sold VHS recorders in 1980!

[Vaughan]

Hey guys - the first article is here if you're up for a lengthy read. ;)

Click me (http://www.cultmovieforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14613).

The rest of them will follow. ;)

[Myersfan73]

I was 7 years old when I saw some of this Horror season. The one that stands out for me is Zoltan Hound of Dracula, watching it on the old black & white TV it was a great experience for me. Most of my mate's at that age would have been in bed by 7pm, my parent's had the stance.....If it didn't give me nightmares I could keep watching them. I suppose if I got anything from them, it was freedom to make my own choices.
Speaking of these horror double bills, can anyone remeber the BBC2 Sci-fi season? I'm pretty sure it showed Robinson Crusoe On Mars, Invaders from Mars & Invasion of the body snatchers.
Any ideas on what year it was?

[drterror666]

Speaking of these horror double bills, can anyone remeber the BBC2 Sci-fi season? I'm pretty sure it showed Robinson Crusoe On Mars, Invaders from Mars & Invasion of the body snatchers.
Any ideas on what year it was?

You're right, Myersfan73, I do remember that sci-fi season on BBC2. They showed the films around 6:00 in the afternoon. I watched Robinson Crusoe On Mars with trepidation, but was surprised by just how good it was. Anyway, you'll like this next bit...

Sci-Fi Season - February 1983 - BBC2
1 - Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956)
2 - It Came From Outer Space (1953)
3 - Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)
4 - Invaders From Mars (1953)
5 - When Worlds Collide (1951)
6 - Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970)
7 - Forbidden Planet (1956)
8 - This Island Earth (1955)
9 - Silent Running (1972)
10 - Fantastic Voyage (1966)
11 - Robinson Crusoe On Mars (1964)
12 - War Of The Worlds (1953)
13 – Daleks’ Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D (1966)

There're some classics in that lot!

[Myersfan73]

You're right, Myersfan73, I do remember that sci-fi season on BBC2. They showed the films around 6:00 in the afternoon. I watched Robinson Crusoe On Mars with trepidation, but was surprised by just how good it was. Anyway, you'll like this next bit...

Sci-Fi Season - February 1983 - BBC2
1 - Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956)
2 - It Came From Outer Space (1953)
3 - Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954)
4 - Invaders From Mars (1953)
5 - When Worlds Collide (1951)
6 - Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970)
7 - Forbidden Planet (1956)
8 - This Island Earth (1955)
9 - Silent Running (1972)
10 - Fantastic Voyage (1966)
11 - Robinson Crusoe On Mars (1964)
12 - War Of The Worlds (1953)
13 – Daleks’ Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D (1966)

There're some classics in that lot! Nice one. There's a few I'm missing but I'll get them. Once I have the lot, I'll be spending a few days living in the past. You've just given me my task for the day. Cheers mate.

[mark meakin]

I remember the 1983 Sci-Fi season too which was great.Central also had a season called the X Raters which screened Tower Of Evil,The Psychic Killer & The Hunting Party among others.

[bigandya]

I remember A BBC2 sci-fi season, Friday nights about 6pm if my memory is serving me straight...they showed such wonders as THEM, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE and (I think?) WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE.

I think this was mid to late 70s as my memory has dimmed over the years and I only have very vague memories of them...

[drterror666]

I remember A BBC2 sci-fi season, Friday nights about 6pm if my memory is serving me straight...they showed such wonders as THEM, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE and (I think?) WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE.

I think this was mid to late 70s as my memory has dimmed over the years and I only have very vague memories of them...

Yes, you're right. I used to watch the films with my nan. I especially remember the ants in Them! and the confusion I had over It Came From Outer Space.

[Vaughan]

AHHHHHHHHH Wobbly eyes!

[AMOLAK MANN]

there was a short hammer season over Xmas 1984/5 as well as the 1987. I have details of the 1983 Universal season if anyone wants them

[drterror666]

Welcome, AMOLAK MANN! We're already covering most of this over in the Interviews + Articles (http://www.cultmovieforums.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=37) thread.

[Dr.Starr]

With Wimbledon well under way it isn’t long before horror/sci-fi fans of a certain age start to feel a pang of nostalgia around this time of year for the much-missed BBC2 Saturday night horror double bills that were traditionally shown each Summer.

Running consecutively every year from 1975 to 1981 with a brief return in 1983, and usually commencing around the beginning of July, they were where many fans first saw the likes of the original Universal classics and their later Hammer counterparts.

Of course, in 2009 with genre fans being able to view pretty much whatever they want whenever they want, the horror double bills wouldn’t have the same impact now. But its still a crying shame that the BBC ill-advisedly decided to stop the original Saturday horror seasons after ‘83.

Vaughan has already extensively covered the 75-81 double bills elsewhere on this forum, and sad person that I am I have many of the original Radio Times editions giving the listings for them.

So for the nostalgia inclined below is the original listing which heralded the very first BBC2 horror double bill season, shown on Saturday 2 August 1975, as part of the ‘Fantastic Double Bill’ season.

Quatermass 2 was an entertaining slice of British 50’s sci-fi, but the opener, 1919’s one-of-a-kind/once-seen-never-forgotten The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, remains an entrancing timeless classic which never shows its age.

Also interesting to note that over on BBC1 at 11.40 there was a Ghost Story series being screened (on at exactly the same time as the double bill, great programming :rolleyes:)

The BBC1 line up for that evening in 1975 really was a classic:

5.25 For My Next Trick with Paul Daniels and Faith Brown
5.50 Jim'll Fix it
8.10 Seaside Special starring Dick Emery with Sacha Distel, Noel Edmonds and (of course) Little and Large
9.00 Cannon
10.00 That's Life
10.40 Val Doonican Sings

Also on that week in '75 was the start of a Tarzan season, commencing on Tuesday 5th August with Tarzan and his Mate. Plus The Man Who Haunted Himself was the Monday film at 9.25.

Who needed satellite, cable or dvd's back in the good old 70's? ;)

[AMOLAK MANN]

vivid pictures there!we have 1977 opening night pictures on the 1977 thread and i saw the 1983 Universal horror seasons opening one somewhere.will post link when i find it.do you have photos from any ther years?

[AMOLAK MANN]

found it!look under 2nd April 2009 under this link

http://carfaxabbey.blogspot.com/

[littleflash]

I see theres a list of the Horror Double Bill Season on BBC2 in 1980. Which began with Night of the Demon and the Ghoul. Were there any Double bills in 81, and 82?
Also oes anyone have the listings of ITV's Peter Cushing: Master of Terror season? And the BBCs' Val Lewton Season?
Thanks in advance.
Andy

[cyberschizoid]

Here is a list of the original Horror Double Bill seasons on BBC2 !!!

Fantastic Double Bill (1975) BBC 2

August 2nd 1975
The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari (1919)
Quatermass 2 (1957)
August 9th 1975
The Tell Tale Heart (1963)
The Premature Burial (1961)
August 23rd 1975
This Island Earth (1955)
Barbarella (1968)
August 30th 1975
The Cat and the Canary (1939)
The Comedy of Terrors (1963)
September 6th 1975
The Beast with five fingers (1947)
The Maze (1954)

Dracula, Frankenstein and Friends 1977

July 2nd 1977
Dracula (1931)
Frankenstein (1931)
July 9th 1977
Bride of Frankensstein (1935)
Brides of Dracula (1960)
July 16th 1977
The Mummy (1932)
The Wolfman (1941)
July 23rd 1977
Son of Frankenstein (1939)
Kiss of the Vampire (1964)
July 30th 1977
Dracula's Daughter (1936)
Plague of the Zombies (1966)
August 6th 1977
The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
The Premature Burial (1961)
August 13th 1977
The Raven (1935)
The Black Cat (1933)
August 20th 1977
Frankenstein meets the Wolfman (1943)
The Raven (1963)
August 27th 1977
House of Frankenstein (1944)
The Reptile (1966)
September 3rd 1977
Son of Dracula (1943)
Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
September 10th 1977
House of Dracula (1945)
Fall of the House of Usher (1960)


DOCTOR X/THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN - 14/7/79

THE HOUND OF THE BAKSERVILLES - 21/7/79

THE DEVIL RIDES OUT/NIGHT MONSTER - 28/7/79

THE MUMMY/BLACK FRIDAY - 4/8/79

BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB/THE STRANGE DOOR - 11/8/79

THE MUMMY'S HAND/THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA - 18/8/79

IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE/QUATERMASS AND THE PIT - 25/8/79

THE GHOUL/NIGHT OF THE DEMON - 28/6/80
CHAMBER OF HORRORS/THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS - 5/7/80
DR TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS/THE MAD GHOUL - 12/7/80
DAUGHTERS OF SATAN/THE DEVIL DOLL - 19/7/80
THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF/FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE - 26/7/80
PARANOIAC/CAPTAIN KRONOS-VAMPIRE HUNTER - 2/8/80
NIGHT OF THE LEPUS/THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS - 9/8/80
LEGEND OF THE WEREWOLF/THE BAT - 16/8/80
THE SKULL/TOWER OF LONDON - 23/8/80


I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE/ZOLTAN-HOUND OF DRACULA - 4/7/81
CAT PEOPLE/MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM - 11/7/81
THE SEVENTH VICTIM/RACE WITH THE DEVIL - 18/7/81
ISLE OF THE DEAD/THE CRAZIES - 25/7/81
BEDLAM/BUG - 1/8/81
THE SHUTTERED ROOM/THE LEOPARD MAN - 8/8/81
THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE/EYE OF THE CAT - 15/8/81
THATRE OF BLOOD/THE BODY SNATCHER - 22/8/81


DRACULA'S DAUGHTER/SON OF FRANKENSTEIN - 23/7/83
THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN - 30/7/83
FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN/THE WOLFMAN - 6/8/83
SON OF DRACULA/HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN - 13/8/83
THE MUMMY'S HAND/THE HOUSE OF DRACULA - 20/8/83

[cyberschizoid]

For those of you interested in our campaign to bring back BBC2's Horror Double Bills for a whole new generation, please check out this interview for more details!

Bring Classic Horror Back To Television – An Interview with Cyberschizoid (http://www.horror-extreme.com/blog/index.php/2010/06/bring-classic-horror-back-to-television/)

Have YOU emailed the BBC yet? ;-)

An email to the BBC (http://filmrantnoel.blogspot.com/2010/06/email-to-bbc.html?zx=369ed4ebf3696a87)

[mark meakin]

I would like to see the BBC screen The Reincarnation Of Peter Proud (1974) again.Must be well over 20 years since they screened it last.

[MarcMorris]

I have an American VHS release if you want to see it again?

[mark meakin]

Very tempting !.I can't remember too much about it apart from the ending & the score by Jerry Goldsmith.

[Timmy Lea]

The thing is, thanks to the wonders of DVD, and people like Marc, and certain other...ahem..."sources", we can now obtain, see and keep films like THE REINCRANATION OF PETER PROUD and its like whenever we want. Which is great- back in the old days many of us didn't have videos, or if we did, we couldn't always record everything we wanted, especially if our parents were using the machine. So in one way we're better off now.

However, (and this is a major point here) don't you ever feel that by only being able to watch these films on our own, in our homes, in a street where nobody else is watching the same thing, we're missing a sense of community? It felt more like fun in the old days when we knew it was part of an event which other people would be taking part in. A bit like being at a concert, I suppose. The stuff that built up to, and followed, the film, plus the trailers Tobias mentions, were all very much part of the experience.

Obviously the fact that many of these films are now tied up in DVD rights ownership, plus the licensing costs involved, means that it's difficult for the BBC to screen stuff these days, or at least that there's more cash-saving incentive for them not to. But that wouldn't stop a season of 30s and 40s public domain classics....the trouble is, have any of today's under 25 TV programming mafia actually heard of any films that don't star either Vin Diesel, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller or Kate Winslet?

As ot goes, because I'm slightly younger than a lot of you (I'm in the pushing 40 rather than the pushing 50 category), I actually missed the 70s BBC double bills: my first introductions to TV horror came in 1982 or so with Thames Television's equivalent, Appointment With Fear., although by 1983, when I really started taking notice, they'd droped down to one film a night (Thatcher's Britain had obviously started biting already)

Here, however, are some of the films I saw in that season, vaguely in order:

The Legend Of Hell House
The Beast In The Cellar
Fear In The Night
Dracula AD 1972
Dr Blood's Coffin
Madhouse
The Blue Parrot (!!!)
Grip Of The Strangler
The Day Of The Triffids
Frogs

When we moved to Birmingham in 1984, Central Television ran a couple of good seasons. The first I can't remember the name of, the second (a few years later) was called Masters Of Menace. Again, here are some of the titles:

1st season (1985/6)

Haunted House Of Horror
The Asphyx
The Uncanny
Empire Of The Ants
From Beyond The Grave
The Legacy (quite a coup at the time, even though it was shit, as it was still only six years old)
The House That Dripped Blood

2nd season (Masters Of Menace, 1988)

From Beyond The Grave (yes, again- this was when it started to be screened almost as regularly as the news)
Blood Of The Vampire
The Vulture
Asylum
Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter
Dr Terror's House Of Horrors
The House That Dripped Blood (again)
Corridors Of Blood
The Legacy (again)
Tower Of Evil
Blood On Satan's Claw
A Taste Of Excitement aka Why Would Anyone Want To Kill A Nice Girl Like You? (more of a thriller, but there's always one)
Wacko (seriously Doesn't really fit in with the others!!)

With all this going on, plus TV horror (Hammer House repeats mainly) old scifi monster movies on 2 and 4, occasional weekly screenings of things like THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE and INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED, Butchers films being shown on ITV either at midnight or in the afternoons, random things like ENDLESS NIGHT, ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE and other Christie adaptations turning up (sometimes even in horror schedules), SCOTLAND YARD, MYSTERIES OF EDGAR WALLACE (the English ones, not der German krimi), Saturday afternoon showings of stuff like AT THE EARTH'S CORE and FANTASTIC VOYAGE, seasons of psychedelic cult films tieing in with the 20th/21st anniversary of Sgt Pepper, lots of dark Losey and Clayton drama on 2, and those Sunday afternnon reruns of LOST IN SPACE and LAND OF THE GIANTS, there were plenty of places to lose oneself!! My childhood wasn't exactly idyllic, but it was certainly escapist....

[Dr.Starr]

However, (and this is a major point here) don't you ever feel that by only being able to watch these films on our own, in our homes, in a street where nobody else is watching the same thing, we're missing a sense of community? It felt more like fun in the old days when we knew it was part of an event which other people would be taking part in.

I couldn’t agree more Timmy. For sure, with most previously rare titles now available one way or another, 2010 has never been a better time to be a film (and tv) fan. And once you have your dvd, download or whatever, just crank up the dvd player/pc/other media device whenever it suits you to watch it.

But as Timmy says, part of the fun of watching films such as the BBC2 horror double bills was about it being an event that other like-minded genre fans were taking part in. There was something, well, reassuring knowing that you weren’t the only person huddled in front of the tv at midnight on a Saturday summers evening watching an old 30’s Universal classic, or maybe a later Hammer favourite.

For me, the build up for the BBC2 horror double would start with rushing into the newsagents to grab the new Radio Times to see which two macabre tales the BBC were going to treat us to the following Saturday. My eyes must have popped out of their sockets when I saw the garish Radio Times cover for the start of the 1980 season - the unforgettable 1950’s Night Of The Demon coupled with the not-quite-so-memorable 1970’s The Ghoul - check out the start of this thread for a pic of that classic cover.

Attempting to stay awake through the cricket before the double bills started, trying to behave in order to avoid being sent to bed early, discussing giant mutant rabbits, devil worshippers, and sinister Spanish telephone boxes on the following Monday at school - it was all part of the fun.

BBC programmers ill-advisedly and inexplicably pulled the plug on the double bills after being shown each year consecutively from 1975 to 1981- interestingly in 1982 there was a memorable Alfred Hitchcock double bill season shown instead - but the BBC did relinquish temporarily in 1983 to bring the horror doubles back for one last time with a season of Universal classics.

[cyberschizoid]

We have fantastic news for all supporters of the Bring Classic Horror Back to Television Alliance! Top British Horror Icon Emily Booth has agreed to support our campaign to bring BBC2's Horror Double Bills and classic horror movies back to British television!

Emily has carved out an impressive career for herself starring in a number of horror and cult films including "Pervirella", "Evil Aliens", Doghouse" and "Cradle of Fear". She is also a presenter on The Horror Channel and has her own monthly column in GoreZone, Britain's premiere horror film magazine.

Please make sure you sign the petition and get your friends to do the same!

http://bringclassichorrorbacktotelevision.blogspot.com/2010/07/top-british-horror-actress-supports.html

[cyberschizoid]

The thing is, thanks to the wonders of DVD, and people like Marc, and certain other...ahem..."sources", we can now obtain, see and keep films like THE REINCRANATION OF PETER PROUD and its like whenever we want. Which is great- back in the old days many of us didn't have videos, or if we did, we couldn't always record everything we wanted, especially if our parents were using the machine. So in one way we're better off now.

However, (and this is a major point here) don't you ever feel that by only being able to watch these films on our own, in our homes, in a street where nobody else is watching the same thing, we're missing a sense of community? It felt more like fun in the old days when we knew it was part of an event which other people would be taking part in. A bit like being at a concert, I suppose. The stuff that built up to, and followed, the film, plus the trailers Tobias mentions, were all very much part of the experience.

Obviously the fact that many of these films are now tied up in DVD rights ownership, plus the licensing costs involved, means that it's difficult for the BBC to screen stuff these days, or at least that there's more cash-saving incentive for them not to. But that wouldn't stop a season of 30s and 40s public domain classics....the trouble is, have any of today's under 25 TV programming mafia actually heard of any films that don't star either Vin Diesel, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller or Kate Winslet?

As ot goes, because I'm slightly younger than a lot of you (I'm in the pushing 40 rather than the pushing 50 category), I actually missed the 70s BBC double bills: my first introductions to TV horror came in 1982 or so with Thames Television's equivalent, Appointment With Fear., although by 1983, when I really started taking notice, they'd droped down to one film a night (Thatcher's Britain had obviously started biting already)

Here, however, are some of the films I saw in that season, vaguely in order:

The Legend Of Hell House
The Beast In The Cellar
Fear In The Night
Dracula AD 1972
Dr Blood's Coffin
Madhouse
The Blue Parrot (!!!)
Grip Of The Strangler
The Day Of The Triffids
Frogs

When we moved to Birmingham in 1984, Central Television ran a couple of good seasons. The first I can't remember the name of, the second (a few years later) was called Masters Of Menace. Again, here are some of the titles:

1st season (1985/6)

Haunted House Of Horror
The Asphyx
The Uncanny
Empire Of The Ants
From Beyond The Grave
The Legacy (quite a coup at the time, even though it was shit, as it was still only six years old)
The House That Dripped Blood

2nd season (Masters Of Menace, 1988)

From Beyond The Grave (yes, again- this was when it started to be screened almost as regularly as the news)
Blood Of The Vampire
The Vulture
Asylum
Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter
Dr Terror's House Of Horrors
The House That Dripped Blood (again)
Corridors Of Blood
The Legacy (again)
Tower Of Evil
Blood On Satan's Claw
A Taste Of Excitement aka Why Would Anyone Want To Kill A Nice Girl Like You? (more of a thriller, but there's always one)
Wacko (seriously Doesn't really fit in with the others!!)

With all this going on, plus TV horror (Hammer House repeats mainly) old scifi monster movies on 2 and 4, occasional weekly screenings of things like THEY CAME FROM BEYOND SPACE and INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED, Butchers films being shown on ITV either at midnight or in the afternoons, random things like ENDLESS NIGHT, ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE and other Christie adaptations turning up (sometimes even in horror schedules), SCOTLAND YARD, MYSTERIES OF EDGAR WALLACE (the English ones, not der German krimi), Saturday afternoon showings of stuff like AT THE EARTH'S CORE and FANTASTIC VOYAGE, seasons of psychedelic cult films tieing in with the 20th/21st anniversary of Sgt Pepper, lots of dark Losey and Clayton drama on 2, and those Sunday afternnon reruns of LOST IN SPACE and LAND OF THE GIANTS, there were plenty of places to lose oneself!! My childhood wasn't exactly idyllic, but it was certainly escapist....

A brilliant post! Thanks for all that info and cool memories! Sounds like we shared some similar (if not identical!) cult movie experiences!

[cyberschizoid]

Interesting news - BBC4 is set to screen a 3-part documentary "History of Horror" in October with accompanying horror movie screenings!

A History Of Horror With Mark Gatiss

League Of Gentlemen star and Doctor Who writer Mark Gatiss celebrates the horror film in a new three-part series for BBC Four.

Mark begins his exploration of the genre by looking at the golden age of Hollywood horror of the Thirties and Forties and examines some iconic pictures directed by Englishman James Whale (Frankenstein, The Old Dark House and Bride Of Frankenstein), who lent the films a camp sensibility, and populated them with a largely British ex-pat cast.

The second episode concentrates on the complete reinterpretation of the genre. In the 1958 remake of Dracula, the original vampire with heavy face and foul breath was gone and along came the Byronic Count in the shape of Christopher Lee, a bloodsucker of almost gentlemanly proportions. It was at this time that horror films turned from black and white to colour and began to feature an element of sex, tapping into an increasingly permissive society.

The last programme in the series explores the gritty and graphic new wave of horror cinema from Night Of The Living Dead in 1968 to the movie Halloween ten years later, the first of the great slew of slasher films which were to dominate the next decade. Mark details the shifts in the horror genre, and meets leading film-makers from the era.

Have you signed our petition yet?
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/bringclassichorrorfilmsbacktothebbc/

[drterror666]

I'll definitely be watching out for this one.

[Rich]

The one film that really stands out for me back when I was watching BBC2's original horror double bills is, The Satanic Rites of Dracula.I'd never seen it before and absolutely loved it, and have done ever since.Another Hammer horror that didn't seem like it was on TV very much but I've loved ever since watching it on ITV years back is, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell.Two real favourites of mine, I'd love to see "Satanic Rites" get a decent DVD release over here.I've got the German DVD of "Monster from Hell".

[tobiaswragg]

This certainly took me back, a BBC2 continuity announcement for one of the 1981 double bills. Incidentally, this was one of the rare double bills that BBC2 didn't run a trailer for, much to my disappointment (as I noted above, I used to relish recording the trailers as well as the actual soundtracks of the films, which I was still doing in 1981, due to not having yet having acquired a video recorder). So disappointed in fact that I concocted my own, which I also did for the other double bill the BBC didn't see fit to trail (The Leopard Man/The Shuttered Room)!

5ELhSG9PAi0