THE BLACK AND ORANGE ALBUM  -  VARIOUS ARTISTS

YEAR:  2010
LABEL:  Wonderful Wonderblog
TRACK LISTING:  Welcome to Horror Hotel  -  Daniel Roebuck,  The Gourd's Prayer  -  Cult of the Great Pumpkin,  Batman Wolfman Frankenstein or Dracula  -  The Diamonds,  Chamber of Horrors  -  Radio Spot,  Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde  -  The Who,  Dracula's Lament  -  Jason Segel,  The Devil's Rain & the Virgin Witch  -  Radio Spot,  Ghostbusters  -  Run-DMC,  Goosebumps Theme  -  TVToons,  Grim Grinning Ghosts  -  Barenaked Ladies,  Halloween  -  Betty Grable,  Halloween  -  Radio Spot,  Happy Halloween  -  The Fuzztones,  Haunted House  -  Flexi-Disc,  King Kong vs. Godzilla  -  WAKY Radio Spot,  Keepin' Halloween Alive  -  Alice Cooper,  Magic  -  Radio Spot,  Monster Movie Ball  -  Spike Jones,  Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives  -  Mel Torme,  To Cause A Witch To Die  -  Vincent Price,  Mr. Monster's Movie Marathon  -  Peter Pan Singers,  Dawn of the Dead  -  Radio Spot,  Dry Bones  -  Fred Gwynne,  Punky Punkin (The Happy Pumpkin)  -  Rosemary Clooney,  Purple People Eater  -  Judy Garland,  Ghost Whisperer  -  TVToons,  Scarecrow  -  The Wellingtons,  Secrets of the Crypt Keeper's Haunted House  -  John Kassir,  The Blob  -  Wolfman Jack,  The Headless Horseman  -  Pickwick Records,  The Headless Horseman  -  Thurl Ravenscroft,  The Island of Dr. Moreau  -  Radio Spot,  Monster Hop  -  Bert Convy,  The Night Before Halloween  -  Bill Buchanan,  Trick or Treat  -  Elvira,  Vampires Quote  -  Boris Karloff,  Zombie Jamboree  -  Rockapella,  Fairly Lame Ending Track  -  Daniel Roebuck
IMPRESSIONS:  Once again we have a non-commercial release like the previous post.  This is one of many compilations originating from the great blog called "Wonderful Wonderblog".  The first thing that strikes you is the lovely spoof on Metallica's "Black Album" cover; what could be more fitting for Halloween than a "Black and Orange" album cover?  After that laugh, we get a nicely-chosen selection of Halloween tracks  -  most of which I admittedly already possessed in my vaults  -  but once again it's always great to hear someone's selection of a playlist.  And this is a good'n.  I kinda like the inclusion of radio spots and movie trailers in between the songs; it gives things a nice Halloween party air.  There are several old favourites of mine appearing here:  The Who's rare "Jekyll & Hyde" song showing John Entwhistle's abiding love of the horror genre, the Spike Jones track (originally credited to "The Fiend-ager") from that beloved "SPIKE JONES IN STEREO" album I played to death in my youth (and which is discussed in depth on this very blog), and the tracks by Mel Torme, Vincent Price, The Diamonds, Rosemary Clooney, Judy Garland, The Wellingtons, Thurl Ravenscroft, Bert Convy, Bill Buchanan, Elvira, and Rockapella have long featured in my Halloween listening.  However, it was only with this "BLACK & ORANGE ALBUM" that I first encountered Run-DMC's terrific cover of "Ghostbusters", the Cult of the Great Pumpkin's "The Gourd's Prayer", and Alice Cooper's "Keepin' Halloween Alive" tracks.  There are many, many Halloween compilations all over the internet and I love all of them; it's a wonderful practice and albums like this one are a great example of how to do it right. 
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  The Gourd's Prayer  -  Cult of the Great Pumpkin,  Chamber of Horrors  -  Radio Spot,  Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde  -  The Who,  Ghostbusters  -  Run-DMC,  Halloween  -  Betty Grable,  Haunted House  -  Flexi-disc,  Keepin' Halloween Alive  -  Alice Cooper,  Monster Movie Ball  -  Spike Jones,  Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives  -  Mel Torme,  To Cause A Witch To Die  -  Vincent Price,  Mr. Monster's Movie Marathon  -  Peter Pan Singers,  Dawn of the Dead  -  Radio Spot,  Punky Punkin (The Happy Pumpkin)  -  Rosemary Clooney,  Purple People Eater  -  Judy Garland,  Scarecrow  -  The Wellingtons,  The Headless Horseman  -  Pickwick Records,  The Headless Horseman  -  Thurl Ravenscroft,  Monster Hop  -  Bert Convy,  The Night Before Halloween  -  Bill Buchanan
FACT SHEET:  "THE BLACK AND ORANGE ALBUM" is a compilation of Halloween tracks produced by the "Wonderful Wonderblog" website.  The 2 Daniel Roebuck tracks are taken from Dr. Lady's "HORROR HOTEL" album.  "Dracula's Lament" is taken from the film "FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL".  "Grim Grinning Ghosts" is a cover version of the Thurl Ravenscroft song and appears on the soundtrack to the "HAUNTED MANSION" movie starring Eddie Murphy.  The "Halloween" track by Betty Grable is taken from an old radio broadcast.  The Fuzztones' "Happy Halloween" is a cover version of a Zacherley song.  "Monster Movie Ball" is taken from the 1959 "SPIKE JONES IN STEREO" album.  Mel Torme's "Monsters Lead Such Interesting Lives" appears in the short film "DAFFY DUCK'S QUACKBUSTERS".  "Dry Bones" is taken from an episode of "THE MUNSTERS" with Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster.  "Scarecrow" by the Wellington's is taken from the Disney TV show "THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH" starring Patrick McGoohan.  "Secrets of the Crypt Keeper's Haunted House" is taken from a 1997 episode of HBO's "TALES FROM THE CRYPT".  Thurl Ravenscroft's "The Headless Horseman" is a cover version of the original song sung by Bing Crosby in Disney's 1949 film "THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD & MR. TOAD".  The Bert Convy who sing "Monster Hop" is the same actor/TV host who appeared as a regular on "THE SNOOP SISTERS" as well as hosting the TV game show "TATTLETALES" and others.  Bill Buchanan is one half of the duo of Buchanan & Goodman who brought us the classic original "break-in" record "The Flying Saucer". 

GHOULS WITH ATTITUDE VOL. 1  -  VARIOUS ARTISTS

YEAR:  2004
LABEL:  Oddio Overplay
TRACK LISTING:  Graveyard Rock - Tarantula Ghoul & the Gravediggers,  Riboflavin-Flavored Non-Carbonated Poly-Unsaturated Blood - Don Hinson & the Rigamorticians,  Vampire Playgirls - Movie Trailer,  Vampira - Bobby Bare,  Rockin' Zombie - The Crewnecks,  Jam at the Mortuary - Griz Green,  Monsters Crash the Pajama Party - Movie Trailer,  Monster Man - The MSR Singers,  Monster Surfer - The Abominable Surfmen,  Surfer Smash - Bobby Boris Jones,  The Spook Spoke - Jupiter Jones,  I Dig You Baby - Bob McFadden & Dor,  The Mind of Mr. Soames - Movie Trailer,  Strangler in the Night - Albert DeSalvo,  House on Haunted Hill - Kenny & the Fiends,  Hear the Monsters (Spooky Sounds & A Spooky Tale) - Winchell's Donut House Halloween Record,  The Raven - Buddy Morrow & His Orchestra,  The Rockin' Ghost - The Modernaires,  Satan Takes a Holiday - Rosengarden and Kraus,  Ha-Ha-Ha The Bride of Frankenstein - Boris Karloff,  Brain Eaters - Movie Trailer,  Goolie Garden - Groovie Goolies,  Haunted House - Hap Palmer,  The Witch's Vacation - Bruce Haack & Norman Bridwel,  Burned at the Stake - Sounds of Terror,  Intro: Orgies (A Tool of Witchcraft) - Louise Huebner,  Night On Bald Mountain - Marty Manning & His Orchestra,  Someone Walked Over My Grave - Criswell
IMPRESSIONS:  As it's once again the Halloween season, I thought I'd feature a Halloween compilation I came across this summer.  Unfortunately for you boils & ghouls, this isn't actually a cd made by a record label but appears to be an amateur-compiled collection (and there's also a great Volume Two, folks) which is no longer available where it was first posted in 2004.  However, it's floating around out there in the vorld vide veb so you should be able to find it without to much ado.  It's apparently something of a legendary (or at least fabled) cd collection which fans of horror-themed music have long known about.  Now, there's a lot of stuff on here I already owned on other cd collections such as the Don Hinson track from his "MONSTER DANCE PARTY" album, "The Raven" from Buddy Morrow's "POE FOR MODERNS", "I Dig You Baby" from Bob McFadden & Dor's "SONGS OUR MUMMY TAUGHT US", the Bride of Frankenstein track from the truly legendary "AN EVENING WITH BORIS KARLOFF & HIS FRIENDS" LP or the real-life witch Louise Huebner track from her "SEDUCTION THROUGH WITCHCRAFT" album.  However, the songs (and movie trailers) which a horror compiler picks and chooses are always interesting and worthwhile and this is such a fun collection of songs (many from the late 50s-early 60s horror boom when it seems like EVERYONE was releasing a spooky song to jump on the "MONSTER MASH" bandwagon) and the cover artwork is simple but really eye-catching and pleasing to my eyes.  This compilation has a nice cohesion to it.  And any compilation which includes one of my favourites - The Modernaires' "Rockin' Ghost" - is OK by me! 
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Graveyard Rock - Tarantula Ghoul & the Gravediggers,  Vampira - Bobby Bare,  Rockin' Zombie - The Crewnecks,  Jam at the Mortuary - Griz Green,  Monster Man - The MSR Singers,  Monster Surfer - The Abominable Surfmen,  I Dig You Baby - Bob McFadden & Dor,  House on Haunted Hill - Kenny & the Fiends,  Hear the Monsters - Winchell's Donut House,  The Raven - Buddy Morrow,  The Rockin' Ghost - The Modernaires,  Goolie Garden - Groovie Goolies,  Intro: Orgies (A Tool of Witchcraft) - Louise Huebner,  Night on Bald Mountain - Marty Manning,  Someone Walked Over My Grave - Criswell
FACT SHEET:  GHOULS WITH ATTITUDE VOL. 1 is an online compilation by Otis Fodder.com with production by Oddio Overplay.  The cover art is by Suzanne Baumann at Fridge Mag.  The singing style in both the songs "Jam at the Mortuary" and "I Dig You Baby" are meant to be imitations of the character of "Digger" O'Dell the undertaker on "THE LIFE OF RILEY" radio show as voiced by actor John Brown.  "Hear the Monsters" was a promo record given away by Winchell's Donut House.  The Groovie Goolies was an early 1970s Saturday morning cartoon by Filmation which featured song performances by unnamed studio musicians a la the Archies.  Louise Huebner is the official witch of Los Angeles, California.  Criswell was a TV fortune teller who is best known for having appeared in Ed Wood's masterpiece "PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE".           

BORIS KARLOFF IN THE INNER SANCTUM - Boris Karloff

YEAR: 1981

LABEL: Radiola/Radio Yesteryear

TRACK LISTING: The Wailing Wall, Birdsong For A Murderer, The Mahogany Coffin

IMPRESSIONS: Around 1979-1980 I got really big into old time radio shows owing mostly to my friend Ed Jacoby who discovered the local PBS radio station was rebroadcasting them daily. Also at the same time, my mother (who worked at ACME) called from the supermarket and told me there were a bunch of old-time radio cassettes for sale (by Metacom) and did I want her to pick me up some. What a question! Simultaneously I discovered Radiola records in stores and sent away for a mail-order catalogue. All this choice resulted in my swimming in old-time radio records and tapes. I still affectionately remember the thrill of having the mailman deliver that big LP-sized box containing about half a dozen Radiola records to my door. Among them was this BORIS KARLOFF IN THE INNER SANCTUM record. INNER SANCTUM is one of my favourite old radio shows and what could be better than a pair of episodes starring the King of Horror Boris Karloff??? I'll tell you what could be better: the little 15 minute episode of THE BLACK CHAPEL tagged onto the end, that's what. This is one of my favourite old radio shows of all-time. Airing a quarter of an hour before midnight on the CBS Pacific Network on the dark, winter evening of January 6, 1939, the story of "The Mahogany Coffin" is masterfully told by Ted Osborne (because unlike regular radio shows, this is simply one person telling a story in the best storyteller tradition). The Karloff episodes are top notch but this BLACK CHAPEL episode is a masterpiece!

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: All of 'em.

FACT SHEET: "The Wailing Wall" is an episode of Inner Sanctum broadcast on CBS Radio on November 12, 1945 sponsored by Lipton Tea & Lipton Soup. "Birdsong For A Murderer" is an episode of INNER SANCTUM broadcast on CBS Radio with no broadcast date given. "The Mahogany Coffin" is an episode of THE BLACK CHAPEL starring Ted Osborne broadcast on the CBS Pacific Network on January 6, 1939.

SCARY TALES - Zacherley

YEAR: 1963

LABEL: Cameo-Parkway

TRACK LISTING: Scary Tales (From Mother Goose) (Version One), A-Tisket A-Casket, Hansel and Gretel, Clementine, Happy Halloween, Monster Monkey, The Spider and the Fly, A-B-C, Little Red Riding Hood, Surfboard 1-0-9, Dear Dear Valentine

BONUS TRACKS: Scary Tales (From Mother Goose) (Version Two), Scary Tales (From Mother Goose) (Version Three), Igor, Dinner With Drac Pt. 2

IMPRESSIONS: Zacherley on record is always gold but this is my least favourite of the Cool Ghoul's three original LPs. I guess the Mother Goose theme doesn't really blow my hair back but there are still some great moments on this album and really cool cover art.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Hansel and Gretel, Clementine, Happy Halloween, The Spider and the Fly, A-B-C, Little Red Riding Hood, Surfboard 1-0-9

FACT SHEET: SCARY TALES is Zacherley's third album; it can be found on cd from Collectors' Choice Music paired with the Cool Ghoul's MONSTER MASH album as well as the bonus tracks "IGOR" and "DINNER WITH DRAC PT. 2". The other bonus tracks include two different versions of "SCARY TALES (FROM MOTHER GOOSE)" which bear some explaining. From Teri Landi's cd liner notes: "The original pressing of the SCARY TALES LP offered a very interesting surprise for anyone lucky enough to discover its hidden mystery. Depending on where you set the stylus down on band 1 of side 1, you could hear one of three versions of "SCARY TALES (FROM MOTHER GOOSE)" kicking off the LP. Band 1 was cut with three separate grooves to contain three different takes of John Zacherle adding a ghoulish touch to Mother Goose nursery rhymes and famous folklore."

SPOOK ALONG WITH ZACHERLEY - Zacherley

YEAR: 1960

LABEL: Elektra

TRACK LISTING: Coolest Little Monster, A Wicked Thought, Ghoul View Commercial, A Sure Sign of Spring, Transylvania P.T.A., Frank and Drac Are Back, Come With Me To Transylvania, Spider Man Lullaby, Ring-A-Ding Ourangoutang, Baying at the Moon, Zacherley For President

IMPRESSIONS: Nothing could be better than a Zacherley album and this is my second favourite of his three original albums after the classic MONSTER MASH discussed elsewhere. SPOOK ALONG contains some of my all-time favourite Zach tracks such as "COOLEST LITTLE MONSTER" and "SPIDER MAN LULLABY".

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Coolest Little Monster, A Wicked Thought, Ghoul View Commercial, A Sure Sign of Spring, Transylvania P.T.A., Spider Man Lullaby, Baying at the Moon, Zacherley For President

FACT SHEET: SPOOK ALONG WITH ZACHERLEY is the Cool Ghoul's first album. The title is a play on Mitch Miller's TV show "SING ALONG WITH MITCH". The album was recorded with a full orchestra and produced by Stan Rhodes and Gerald Alters. The original vinyl LP came with a book and poster set tying in with the "Zacherley For President" campaign and the Ted Bates advertising agency also came up with a faux campaign platform for the Cool Ghoul.

LUGOSI: HOLLYWOOD'S DRACULA - Various Artists

YEAR: 1997

LABEL: Truthmonger Publishing/McWhorter Greenhaw Inc.

TRACK LISTING: Organ prelude from Mystery House radio show and Robert Clarke spoken introduction - Bela Lugosi & Robert Clarke, Suite from Ocskay Brigaderos - Jim Baker & Gary Freeman, Swan Lake - Dallas Banjo Band & Art Greenhaw, Black and Tan Fantasy - Dallas Banjo Band, Variation on Gershwin's Prelude - Art Greenhaw, Lon Chaney's Gonna Get You (If You Don't Watch Out) - Art Greenhaw, Swan Lake Overture - Art Greenhaw, Brother Can You Spare A Dime? - John Walden & Dallas Banjo Band, Listen To the Lambs from WHITE ZOMBIE, White Zombie - Joel Shaw Orchestra, Texaco Star Theater (November 15, 1939) - Bela Lugosi, Variation on Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1 - Art Greenhaw, Mail Call (May 11, 1944) - Bela Lugosi, Edward Everett Horton & Gregory Ratoff, Child of the Night - Art Greenhaw, Gary D. Rhodes & Tim Cooper, We're Horrible Horrible Men - Bela Lugosi & Boris Karloff, Adaptation of Chopin's Nocturne in E-Flat - Art Greenhaw, A Hunchback Named Ygor - Art Greenhaw, The Devil Bat theme music, The Rudy Vallee Show (October 22, 1946) - Bela Lugosi & Billie Burke, Swan Lake Rock - Art Greenhaw, Candid Microphone (October 24, 1947) - Bela Lugosi, Czardas - The Light Crust Doughboys, There Are Such Things - Bela Lugosi, Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula - Art Greenhaw, Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula (instrumental reprise) - Art Greenhaw

IMPRESSIONS: This soundtrack cd can be enjoyed even if you haven't seen the documentary (and I actually had the cd years before I actually managed to track down the film on DVD. The cd features some tracks which have become favourites of mine and perennial Halloween listening; these include the spectacular 78rpm "White Zombie" by the Joel Shaw Orchestra (a lesser version of which appears as "Zombie" on the HALLOWEEN STOMP cd discussed elsewhere), the Bela & Boris duet "We're Horrible, Horrible Men" and the incredible scratchy but treasured "There Are Such Things" speech by Bela Lugosi which Christopher Lee later reprised in the early 70's film IN SEARCH OF DRACULA. Composer of some of the documentary's music Art Greenhaw is certainly no singer but his straining attempts to sing on "Lon Chaney's Gonna Get You" and "Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula" are endearing even though they sound as if poor Art is vocalizing while trying to extricate himself from a tightly-wound shroud!

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Swan Lake - Dallas Banjo Band & Art Greenhaw, Lon Chaney's Gonna Get You (If You Don't Watch Out) - Art Greenhaw, Listen To the Lambs from WHITE ZOMBIE, White Zombie - Joel Shaw Orchestra, We're Horrible Horrible Men - Bela Lugosi & Boris Karloff, The Devil Bat theme music, Czardas - Light Crust Doughboys, There Are Such Things - Bela Lugosi, Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula - Art Greenhaw, Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula (instrumental reprise) - Art Greenhaw

FACT SHEET: LUGOSI: HOLLYWOOD'S DRACULA is the soundtrack cd of the documentary DVD of the same name chronicling the life and career of Bela Lugosi. The documentary is narrated by Robert Clarke and Rue McClanahan. "Swan Lake" was composed by Piotr Illich Tchaikovsky. "Black and Tan Fantasy" was composed by Duke Ellington. "Lon Chaney's Gonna Get You (If You Don't Watch Out)" first appeared in the MGM musical THE HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1929. "We're Horrible, Horrible Men" is taken from the radio show "Baker's Broadcast" from 1937 or 1938. According to Bela's widow Hope Lugosi, Bela's favourite song was "Czardas".

THE EDGAR ALLAN POE AUDIO COLLECTION - Vincent Price & Basil Rathbone

YEAR: 2000

LABEL: Caedmon

TRACK LISTING: To --, Alone, The City in the Sea, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Haunted Palace, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Masque of the Red Death, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, The Raven, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, The Cask of Amontillado, The Bells, Annabel Lee, Eldorado, Ligeia, The Imp of the Perverse, Morella, Berenice, The Gold Bug

IMPRESSIONS: It was so nice to see this CD box set on the audiobook shelf at my Borders in 2000. I snapped it up on 40% off day. As luck would have it, these Vincent Price and Basil Rathbone recordings were ones I hadn't managed to track down up to this point; deriving as they do from some rare 50s LPs long out of print. Price, of course, is a veteran hand at these types of records but Rathbone proves himself every bit as adept reading Poe's immortal tales of terror. The only caveat I have (and its a fairly substantial one) is that the volume level is ridiculously low on these CDs; even when I maxed the volume to put them in my ipod, they are still only just audible. For such melodiously magnificent voices, that is truly a crime worthy of a homicidal ourang-outan!

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Alone, The City in the Sea, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Haunted Palace, The Masque of the Red Death, The Black Cat, The Raven, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, The Cask of Amontillado, The Bells, Annabel Lee, Ligeia, The Imp of the Perverse, Morella

FACT SHEET: THE EDGAR ALLAN POE AUDIO COLLECTION is a 2000 5 CD set consists of several Caedmon albums of Edgar Allan Poe readings by Basil Rathbone and Vincent Price originally released in 1954. All the readings are by Basil Rathbone except LIGEIA, THE IMP OF THE PERVERSE, MORELLA, BERENICE and THE GOLD BUG which are read by Vincent Price.

VOODOO - Richard Hayman and his Orchestra

YEAR: 1959

LABEL: Mercury

TRACK LISTING: Danse Calinda, Conjuration, Spell of Deatra, Incantation, Afro, Zombi, Voodoo, Mamba, Haiti, Midnight Ritual, Gris-Gris, Invocation

IMPRESSIONS: "Richard Hayman has here mustered his phenomenally versatile talents as musician, arranger and conductor to capture the mood of voodoo in songs whose very titles can strike awe in the listener: Conjuration . . . Spell of Deatra . . . Incantation . . . Zombi. . . Midnight Ritual. . . Gris-Gris. Here is a musical adventure that transports you into the deepest interior of Haiti. Here is the fearsome fire and the brewing pot. Here are the frightening shadows. And here, above all, are the weird rhythms and sounds of a music that is more than music because it is distilled in ritual and there are those who believe in its magical powers.
This is music to be met half-way in a quiet room with the lights dimmed. Or better still meet it all the way in the still of the night with the lights out. Then Listen! You're not alone any longer. The room is shaken with the frantic dances of the hungans - so-called priests of voodoo - and their faithful. The cauldron boils and froths. The walls echo to the cries and the wails of the believers. That's voodoo!" --Lou Sidran

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Conjuration, Spell of Deatra, Afro, Zombi, Voodoo, Mamba, Haiti, Midnight Ritual, Invocation

FACT SHEET: Richard Hayman is an American arranger, harmonica player, and conductor. Hayman started out as a player and arranger for the Borrah Minevitch Harmonica Rascals before becoming an arranger for MGM studios during the early 1940's. He did arrangements (often uncredited) for the films Girl Crazy. Meet Me in St. Louis, and Thousands Cheer. From 1945-1950, he was musical director for the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra. Hayman is most famous for being the principal arranger at the Boston Pops Orchestra for over 30 years where his award-winning arrangements are still used today. He currently works as the Principal Pops Conductor of the Grand Rapids (MI) Symphony and Music Director of the Florida Space Coast Pops Orchestra in Cocoa, Florida.

MONSTER BOP - Various Artists

YEAR: 1993

LABEL: Buffalo Bop

TRACK LISTING: Rockin' in the Graveyard - Jackie Morningstar, Werewolf - Carl Bonafede, Caveman Hop - Jerry Coulston, The Cat - Rod Willis, Midnight Monsters Hop - Jack & Jim, Nightmare - Scottie Stuart, Graveyard - Leroy Bowman, The Skeleton Fight - Mack Allen Smith, The Monster Hop - Jimmy Dee, Story That's True - Carl Bonafede, The Gorilla - Bert Convy, Leopard Man - Joe Wallace, Nightmare Hop - Earl Patterson, The Monster - Bobby Please, Graveyard - The Phantom Five, Caveman - Tommy Roe, Mad House Jump - The Daylighters, Jekyll and Hyde - Jim Burgett, Haunted House - Cris Kevin, The Head Hunters - Mike Fern, I'm the Wolf Man - Round Robin, Frankenstein's Den - Hollywood Flames, The Monster Hop - Bert Convy, Don't Meet Mr. Frankenstein - Carlos Casal Jr., I Was A Teenage Monster - The Keytones, You Can Get Him Frankenstein - The Castle Kings, The Gila Monster - Joe Johnson, Frankenstein Rock - Eddie Thomas, I Was A Teen-Age Caveman - Randy Luck, Frankie Frankenstein - Ivan

IMPRESSIONS: Very rare collection of 50's/early 60s horror-themed 45s most people have never heard. During the monster boom of the late 50s when SHOCK THEATER released the classic Universal monster movies to television for the first time and Forrest J. Ackerman launched FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND and Bobby "Boris" Pickett recorded MONSTER MASH, it seems like every garage band in America recorded a "monster song" in hopes of getting their big break. None of these ever did (with the exception of Tommy Roe a little later) but these songs are great rockin' monster fun.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Rockin' in the Graveyard - Jackie Morningstar, Werewolf - Carl Bonafede, Caveman Hop - Jerry Coulston, Graveyard - Leroy Bowman, The Skeleton Fight - Mack Allen Smith, The Monster Hop - Jimmy Dee, Leopard Man - Joe Wallace, Nightmare Hop - Earl Patterson, Graveyard - The Phantom Five, Mad House Jump - The Daylighters, Haunted House - Cris Kevin, The Head Hunters - Mike Fern, I'm the Wolf Man - Round Robin, Frankenstein's Den - Hollywood Flames, The Monster Hop - Bert Convy, You Can Get Him Frankenstein - The Castle Kings, The Gila Monster - Joe Johnson

FACT SHEET: This high-quality MONSTER BOP cd has been digitally remastered from the original 45s to maintain the real 50s blast of. Yes, Tommy Roe is the artist who would later have a hit with "Dizzy". And yes, Bert Convy is THE Bert Convy: the host of 70s game shows like "Tattletales" and the actor who appeared in countless TV shows like "The Snoop Sisters".

GHOST GALLERY - Tom Willett

YEAR: 1995

LABEL: CMH

TRACK LISTING: Introduction, The White House Ghost, The 3 Mummies, Crybaby Ghost, The Watch, Ghost Cafe, How To Meet A Nice Ghost, Never Never..., Patton, The Miracle of Santa Fe, Where the Ghosts Are, The Show Must Go On (or Saturday Night Dead), A Few Chillers

IMPRESSIONS: This one's because of Cheeks! In the 90s, this one appeared on a Halloweenie Cerpts Tape made for me by Cheeks. Several years later, I came across the actual cd. As the subtitle of the album says, these are "eerie tales based on true stories" and have more of a folklore feel instead of the fictional ghost stories found on things like the Vincent Price Caedmon albums (although they have their fair share of folklore as well). The strange thing about Tom Willett is that his voice sounds EXACTLY like Forrest J. Ackerman. Exactly exactly! As these albums go, GHOST GALLERY is an absorbing listen. Willett has a great storytelling voice and knows how to put a story across. As Willett himself explains the album: "This album should be suitable for kids over seven and dogs over one. There are stories that go well for Halloween or any night of the year. There are stories about ordinary people and presidents and Pharoahs and movie stars. What a cast!"

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: The White House Ghost, The 3 Mummies, Ghost Cafe, How To Meet A Nice Ghost, Never Never..., Patton, Where the Ghosts Are, The Show Must Go On (or Saturday Night Dead), A Few Chillers

FACT SHEET: GHOST GALLERY is a collection of "true" ghost stories read by actor Tom Willett; who has appeared in over 100 movies including MELVIN AND HOWARD and BACK TO THE FUTURE.

JEEPERS CREEPERS: GREAT SONGS FROM HORROR FILMS - Various Artists

YEAR: 2003

LABEL: Red Circle

TRACK LISTING: Who Killed Teddy Bear - Tammi Tappan, Goody Goody - Lynette Perry & Zacherley, Look For A Star - Guy Haines, I've Written A Letter To Daddy/Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? - Katherine Helmond & Remy Zaken, The Faithful Heart - Rebecca Luker, Hey You/Faro-La Faro-Li (Song of the New Wine) - Judy Kaye & the Scarlettes, Hush...Hush Sweet Charlotte - Christiane Noll, Jeepers Creepers - Sharon McNight, The Blob - Alison Fraser, Aurora - Michelle Nicastro, Mothra's Song - Theresa Finamore & Juliana A. Hansen, You're My Living Doll - Susan Gordon, Stella By Starlight - Brent Barrett, I Was A Teenage Horror Medley: You Gotta Have Ee-Ooo/Eeny Meeny Miney Moe/Daddy Bird - Jason Graae

IMPRESSIONS: This is a really unusual one and totally unique as a consequence. Most of the songs have nothing to do with a horror theme but just happened to be featured in a horror film: from Universal horror of the 40s up to the 21st century with JEEPERS CREEPERS. I had the good fortune to meet the late Richard Valley several times at monster movie conventions and he was always very enthusiastic about this album. It's a shame a second volume was never made.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Who Killed Teddy Bear? - Tammi Tappan, Goody Goody - Lynette Perry & Zacherley, Look For A Star - Guy Haines, I've Written A Letter To Daddy/Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? - Katherine Helmond & Remy Zaken, Hey You/Faro-La Faro-Li (Song of the New Wine) - Judy Kaye & the Scarlettes, The Blob - Alison Fraser, Mothra's Song - Theresa Finamore & Juliana A. Hansen

FACT SHEET: JEEPERS CREEPERS was dreamed up by SCARLET STREET MAGAZINE editor Richard Valley as a "Horror's Greatest Hits" album consisting of songs that appeared in horror films newly recorded by Broadway and Hollywood performers of today (including SOAP's Katherine Helmond). Valley pitched the idea while having dinner with SCARLET STREET managing editor Tom Amorosi and Bruce Kimmel. WHO KILLED TEDDY BEAR? is from the film of the same name. GOODY GOODY appeared in WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HELEN? LOOK FOR A STAR was featured in CIRCUS OF HORRORS. I'VE WRITTEN A LETTER TO DADDY/WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? were both featured in that film. THE FAITHFUL HEART is from JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. HEY YOU! is from Universal's THE MUMMY'S CURSE and FARO-LA FARO-LI can be found in FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN. HUSH...HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE is from whaddaya think? JEEPERS CREEPERS of course was featured in JEEPERS CREEPERS and THE BLOB is from THE BLOB. Monotonous, ain't it? AURORA is from Abbott & Costello's HOLD THAT GHOST. MOTHRA'S SONG was originally performed by the Peanuts in MOTHRA. YOU'RE MY LIVING DOLL appeared in ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE. STELLA BY STARLIGHT of course is the classic from THE UNINVITED. YOU GOTTA HAVE EE-OOO is from HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER, EENY MEENY MINEY MOE is from I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF and DADDY BIRD is from FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER. The wonderful cover art was done by monster artist extraordinaire Frank Dietz.

THE MONSTER ROCK 'N' ROLL SHOW - Various Artists

YEAR: 1990

LABEL:

TRACK LISTING: Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Pickett, The Haunted Strangler (Movie Trailer), Bo Meets the Monster - Bo Diddley, I Was A Teenage Frankenstein/Blood of Dracula (Movie Trailers), Midnight Stroll - The Revels, Frankenstein of '59 - Buchanan & Goodman, Frankenstein's Den - The Hollywood Flames, Horror of Dracula (Movie Trailer), Screamin' Ball at Dracula Hall - The Duponts, I Was A Teenage Werewolf (Movie Trailer), Werewolf - Five Man Electrical Band, The Mummy (Movie Trailer), Haunted House - Johnny Fuller, Black Sunday (Movie Trailer), Feast of the Mau Mau - Screamin' Jay Hawkins, The Amazing Colossal Man (Movie Trailer), Witch Queen of New Orleans - Redbone, 4-D Man (Movie Trailer), Castin' My Spell - The Johnny Otis Show featuring Marci Lee, The Thing That Couldn't Die (Movie Trailer), The Green Slime - The Green Slime, The She Creature/It Conquered the World (Movie Trailers), Lil Red Riding Hood - Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs, The Astro-Zombies (Movie Trailer), I Ain't Superstitious - Howlin' Wolf, Frankenstein Returns (Part II) - Buchanan & Goodman, Morgus the Magnificent - Morgus & the Ghouls, King Kong (Movie Trailer), The Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley

IMPRESSIONS: This is a collection of Halloweenie songs which are interspersed with movie trailers/radio ads -- this give the cd a nice, out of the ordinary feel as these cd collections go. Not to mention that several of the songs are not the usual overplayed ones (although those are here as well).

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Monster Mash - Bobby "Boris" Pickett, The Haunted Strangler (Movie Trailer), I Was A Teenage Frankenstein/Blood of Dracula (Movie Trailers), Midnight Stroll - The Revels, Frankenstein of '59 - Buchanan & Goodman, Frankenstein's Den - The Hollywood Flames, Horror of Dracula (Movie Trailer), Screamin' Ball at Dracula Hall - The Duponts, The Mummy (Movie Trailer), Witch Queen of New Orleans - Redbone, Castin' My Spell - The Johnny Otis Show featuring Marci Lee, The Green Slime - The Green Slime, The Astro-Zombies (Movie Trailer), Frankenstein Returns (Part II) - Buchanan & Goodman, Morgus the Magnifient - Morgus & the Ghouls, King Kong (Movie Trailer)

FACT SHEET: THE HAUNTED STRANGLER trailer is nicely narrated by Boris Karloff himself. Other than that, I got nuttin'.

SCARY SPOOKY STORIES - Various Artists

YEAR: 1973

LABEL: Troll Records

TRACK LISTING: The Dare, Dark Dark Dark, Big 'Fraid Little 'Fraid, Wait Til Martin Comes, The Skinny Toe, The Thing at the Foot of the Bed

IMPRESSIONS: "Here are six famous stories narrated with all the chills and thrills that made them so successful around campfires on late summer evenings or in darkened rooms on cold and rainy winter nights." says the liner notes on the back of the LP. These readings are similar to recordings like the Folktellers but they seem to be intended for a younger audience. If the stories aren't all that scary, the album cover is one of the greatest ever made and helps put you in the mood for some spookiness.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: The Dare, Dark Dark Dark, Wait Til Martin Comes, The Thing at the Foot of the Bed

FACT SHEET: SCARY SPOOKY STORIES is the first in a series of four albums of terror tales put out by Troll Records in the 1970s; the other three include "GREAT GHOST STORIES", "THRILLERS AND CHILLERS" and "WEIRD TALES OF THE UNKNOWN". The stories are read by Ralph Bell, Robert Dryden and Daniel Ocko; all three actors who appeared on the CBS Radio Workshop.

TALES OF THE FRIGHTENED VOL. 1 & 2 - Boris Karloff

YEAR: 1963

LABEL: Mercury

TRACK LISTING: Call At Midnight, Just Inside the Cemetery, The Fortune Teller, The Man In the Raincoat, The Deadly Dress, The Hand of Fate, Don't Lose Your Head, The Vampire Sleeps, Horror of Death, Never Kick a Black Cat, The Ladder, Nightmare, Voice From the Grave

IMPRESSIONS: Are you one of the frightened? What could be better than Uncle Boris reading us dead-time stories??? That's right - nothing! One of these tales -- "The Hand of Fate" -- was recited by Karloff almost verbatim in Peter Bogdanovich's film TARGETS; the old master did it in one take and the entire cast and crew broke out into applause.

MY FAVOURTE TRACKS: Call at Midnight, Just Inside the Cemetery, The Fortune Teller, The Man in the Raincoat, The Hand of Fate, Don't Lose Your Head, The Vampire Sleeps, Never Kick a Black Cat, Voice From the Grave

FACT SHEET: TALES OF THE FRIGHTENED is a two-record set of recordings of short horror tales written by Michael Avallone (author of childhood favourites "THE GHOST THAT CAME ALIVE" and some of the Partridge Family mystery novels I devoured as a boy) and read by Boris Karloff. In 1956, Avallone edited a pulp magazine called "TALES OF THE FRIGHTENED" which was supposed to be a launching pad for a radio programme of the same name hosted by Boris Karloff. The show never came to be so the stories were turned into a paperback book of 26 tales. The albums featured strange electronic music taken from a 1957 album called "ELECTRONIC MUSIC" by "The Electrosoniks". In 2010, Avallone's son David came out with a new "tribute" album of TALES OF THE FRIGHTENED with his father's stories read by actor Vernon Wells and music by Eban Schletter.

HAMMER PRESENTS DRACULA - Christopher Lee

YEAR: 1974

LABEL: EMI

TRACK LISTING: Dracula, Fear In the Night, She, Vampire Lovers, Doctor Jekyll and Sister Hyde

IMPRESSIONS: In the days before VCRs, it must've been a spectacular treat to drop the needle onto a record of the Hammer version of Dracula (however unrelated to the actual movies) starring Christopher Lee himself. Even the second side, consisting of film music from some rather minor Hammer Horrors, must still have been a situation of beggars cannot certainly be chosers; you were very unlikely back in the day to find a record containing ANY film music from Hammer films so this was a rarity indeed.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Dracula

FACT SHEET: HAMMER PRESENTS DRACULA features an album-side length track entitled "DRACULA" featuring Christopher Lee as well as an introduction by Bill Mitchell and the classic Dracula music by James Bernard. Side Two of the album featured soundtrack music from the Hammer Horrors "Fear In the Night", "She", "Vampire Lovers" and "Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde".

TALES OF WITCHES, GHOSTS AND GOBLINS - Vincent Price

YEAR: 1972

LABEL: Caedmon

TRACK LISTING: The Smoker, Prayer, To Become A Werewolf, To Raise the Dead, The Witches' Reel, The Broomstick Train, Sweden, The Phantom Merry-Go-Round, A Pair of Gloves, Gobbleknoll, The Lone Grave

IMPRESSIONS: Another one of those classic 1970s Vinnie albums from Caedmon. This one combines short stories with sort-of textbook (or grimoire) lessons on witchcraft and spells which Vincent Price was so generous as to pass along to us monster kids.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: The Smoker, Prayer, To Become A Werewolf, To Raise the Dead, The Witches' Reel, Sweden, A Pair of Gloves, The Lone Grave

FACT SHEET: See Vincent Price's album A HORNBOOK FOR WITCHES elsewhere on this blog by clicking the "Vincent Price" label

HALLOWEEN CLASSICS: SONGS THAT SCARED THE BLOOMERS OFF YOUR GREAT GRANDMA - Various Artists

YEAR: 2007

LABEL: Sony

TRACK LISTING: Hush Hush Hush (Here Comes the Boogie Man) - Henry Hall, It Must Be Swell - Alex Bartha & His Hotel Traymore Orchestra, Mr. Ghost Goes To Town - The Five Jones Boys, T'Ain't No Sin (To Take Off Your Skin) - Fred Hall, Ghost in the Graveyard - Prairie Ramblers, Ol' Man Mose - Wingy Mannone, The Ghost of Smoky Joe - Cab Calloway, Skeleton in the Closet - Putney Dandridge, The Ghost Walk - Borrah Minevich & the Harmonica Rascals, The Boogie Man - Todd Rollins with Chick Bullock, Hell's Bells - Art Kassel & His Orchestra, Mysterious Mose - Rube Bloom, Minnie the Moocher at the Morgue - Smiley Burnette, With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm - Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees

IMPRESSIONS: This is a really nice collection of Halloween songs which come from 78's. While there are a few duplications from the previous magnificent Jass Records cd HALLOWEEN STOMP (Cab Calloway's "The Ghost of Smoky Joe", "The Boogie Man" by Todd Rollins with Chick Bullock and Rudy Vallee's "With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm"), the interesting thing is that there are also songs here from HALLOWEEN STOMP but by different artists so you get another interpretation of STOMP classics like "Mr. Ghost Goes To Town", "Skeleton in the Closet", "Hell's Bells" and "Mysterious Mose".

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Hush Hush Hush (Here Comes the Boogie Man) - Henry Hall, Mr. Ghost Goes To Town - The Five Jones Boys, Ghost in the Graveyard - Prairie Ramblers, Ol' Man Mose - Wingy Mannone, The Ghost of Smoky Joe - Cab Calloway, The Skeleton in the Closet - Putney Dandridge, The Ghost Walk - Borrah Minevich & the Harmonica Rascals, The Boogie Man - Todd Rollins (with Chick Bullock), Mysterious Mose - Rube Bloom, Minnie the Moocher at the Morgue - Smiley Burnette, With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm - Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees

FACT SHEET: Uh......I got nothin'.

THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN: THE FRANZ WAXMAN SCORE - The Westminster Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kenneth Alwyn

YEAR: 1993

LABEL: Silva

TRACK LISTING: The Bride of Frankenstein - Main Title, Prologue - Menuetto and Storm, Monster Entrance, Processional March, A Strange Apparition/Pretorius' Entrance/You Will Need A Coat, Bottle Sequence, Female Monster Music/Pastoral/Village/Chase, Crucifixion/Monster Breaks Out, Fire in the Hut/Graveyard, Dance Macabre, The Creation, The Tower Explodes and Finale, The Invisible Ray Suite

IMPRESSIONS: This is another of my favourite film soundtracks and how can any horror fan not love it? This score, along with Max Steiner's 1933 KING KONG score, are two of the most influential and groundbreaking scores not only in the genre of horror but in motion pictures full stop. One can recall the original 1931 DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN films had a snippet of "Swan Lake" over the opening credits and that was it; here we have a film awash in the spectacular scoring provided by Waxman which no horror fan can hear without immediately being taken back to the first time he saw this classic monster movie. A funny side story concerns the famous three-note leitmotif for the Bride; Rogers & Hammerstein unconsciouly plagiarized it for their song "Bali Hai" in SOUTH PACIFIC. According to legend, when Franz Waxman heard "Bali Hai" for the first time he sent a telegram to the two broadway composers which simply read: "You're welcome".

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: I hate to take the easy way out but, with such and iconic score, truly all of 'em.

FACT SHEET: THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is a 1935 film from Universal directed by James Whale. The extensive score composed by Franz Waxman was revolutionary for its time and highly influential. The original score was orchestrated by Clifford Vaughan who used "organ sonorities" to achieve a very distinct sound and colouring to the score. Waxman was so pleased with the orchestration that, when he signed a contract with MGM in 1936 he specifically recruited Vaughan to orchestrate for him. Waxman's score for BRIDE used whole tone scales rather than the more traditional diatonic scales for most of the musical cues. Whole tone scales have only six notes to the octave; each interval in the scale composed of a whole tone. Claude Debussy used this technique and Waxman presumably employed whole tone scales to give the music a "restless" feeling. Waxman usually used leitmotifs for individual characters in the score whenever they appeared on the screen. Aside from BRIDE, the album also includes a reconstructed "suite" of Waxman's musical cues from the Boris Karloff/Bela Lugosi starrer THE INVISIBLE RAY. Since no musical manuscript for the film survives, Steven R. Bernstein orchestrated the suite completely by ear from recording's of the movie's soundtrack.

WITCHCRAFT & MAGIC: AN ADVENTURE IN DEMONOLOGY - Vincent Price

YEAR: 1969

LABEL: Capitol

TRACK LISTINGS: Prologue - The Tale of Master Seth, Hitler and Witchcraft - Witchcraft in History, Women as Witches - Witch Burning, Witch Tortures, Witch Tortures (continued) - The World of Spirits and Demons, Preparation for Magic - Instruments of Magic, How To Invoke Spirits, Demons, Unseen Forces - The Magic Bloodstone, The Witches' Cauldron - How To Communicate with the Spirits, How To Communicate with the Spirits (continued) - Gerald Yorke and Necromancy, How To Make A Pact with the Devil - How To Become a Witch, Curses, Spells, Charms, Curses, Spells, Charms (continued) - Potions, The Hand of Glory - The Witches' Sabbat, Witchcraft Today - Epilogue

IMPRESSIONS: This is a super Halloween album which is quite unlike the lighter toned Caedmon albums (which featured poetry and spooky tales mostly) Price would record in the 1970s and it's a really great atmospherically spooky listen. It's also filled with a lot of informative stuff concerning the history of witchcraft and its practices; the accuracy of which depends on how much credence you give to occult matters. This is a perfect representation of the upswing in general interest in the occult which boomed in the late 60s into the 1970s.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Despite the breaking up of the album into tracks, this is more like a 100+ minute lecture and therefore my fave tracks would be all of 'em; it has to be listened to as a whole.

FACT SHEET: This album has been variously referred to as WITCHCRAFT & MAGIC: AN ADVENTURE IN DEMONOLOGY as well as THE SECRETS OF WITCHCRAFT & MAGIC REVEALED. It was originally released as a two-record set. The text performed by Vincent Price was written & directed by Terry D'Oberoff. The album was produced by Roger Karshner and also features some early synthesizer by Douglas Leedy which provides not only a spooky drone but also sound effects like howling winds and bubbling cauldrons. Price apparently recorded the entire 122 page text in one 5 hour session; the best sections were edited together to make the album. There are also actresses interspersed between certain tracks reciting lines from Shakespeare's MACBETH by the three witches.

TALES OF TERROR - Nelson Olmsted

YEAR: 1956

LABEL: Vanguard

TRACK LISTING: The Pit and the Pendulum, A Cask of Amontillado, The Tell-Tale Heart, Masque of the Red Death, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Strange Case of M. Valdemar, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, The Signal Man, What Was It?, The Mummy's Foot, Markheim, The Body Snatcher

IMPRESSIONS: Whereas this 2 record set was made up of two Nelson Olmsted albums released in 1956, I bought the 1970's vinyl reissue sometime around the late 70s. This too I bought at the Wee Three Records in the Moorestown Mall. Nelson Olmsted's voice is perfect for storytelling (hence his being in such great demand as an old-time radio actor) and his voice perfectly brings to life these stories. The tales are actually very efficiently condensed into tracks which last around 8-9 minutes a piece without losing any of the major story points. Probably my favourite piece on the album is "WHAT WAS IT?": the story of a strange invisible creature captured by the narrator. Of course, there's also THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER which is another favourite.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: The Pit and the Pendulum, A Cask of Amontillado, The Tell-Tale Heart, Masque of the Red Death, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Strange Case of M. Valdemar, What Was It?, The Mummy's Foot, The Body Snatcher

FACT SHEET: TALES OF TERROR is a two-record set which was actually culled from two separate 1956 LPs by Nelson Olmsted: SLEEP NO MORE and TALES OF TERROR. Nelson Olmsted was a very busy radio actor as well as a character actor in films; his radio show (also entitled "Sleep No More") is the basis of these recordings. The first record of the set features all Edgar Allan Poe tales except for Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". The second record features Charles Dickens' "The Signal Man" and "Markheim" as well as Fitz-James O'Brien's "What Was It?" and Theophile Gautier's "The Mummy's Foot".