Boris Karloff's Thriller--is it really a chiller?

[yendor1152]

Stephen King is a genre giant. If you honestly believe Meyer is a better, more successful writer than he is, you're living in a dream world or just incredibly naive.

[Robert W]

I have yet to see any of those. But what about the episodes held up as prime examples of Thriller (and television horror) at its best? Meaning Pigeons From Hell and The Hungry Glass? Hasn't anyone ever seen them? I'd especially like to know if Pigeons follows the story: southern mansion, whistling upstairs, horrible zuvumbie, horror-stricken hero, sheriff who helps him out, old voodoo man bitten by snake, climactic return to the mansion and ultimate discovery. I've a feeling the mansion in Thriller isn't in the south, there's no whistling--but probably singing--upstairs, the zuvumbie looks like an old lady, rather than a monstrosity, the hero is clean-cut and never fully stricken by anything, etc. Can anyone describe the episode for me?

I liked the three I mentioned better.

[Robert W]

I wouldn't rank King as the most successful writer of horror fiction personally, unless profits are the sole barometer. He's wonderful, but I'd give nods to H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, and Richard Matheson over King. It's all subjective.

I honestly can not think of a more influential author than HPL.

[Robert W]

Thriller Season 1 & 2 Episode guides,
http://www.thrillerguide.net/

[Haunted hearse]

Stephen King is a genre giant. If you honestly believe Meyer is a better, more successful writer than he is, you're living in a dream world or just incredibly naive.

Better?  I think I said that Meyer's writing ability is on the same level of Keanu Reeves acting ability.  But the truth is right now, Meyer is the more successful writer financially.  If you want to use how popular something is to gauge how great it is, then "Avatar" is the greatest motion picture ever made, and Justin Beiber is a better singer then Tom Waites.

[Robert W]

Better?  I think I said that Meyer's writing ability is on the same level of Keanu Reeves acting ability.  But the truth is right now, Meyer is the more successful writer financially.  If you want to use how popular something is to gauge how great it is, then "Avatar" is the greatest motion picture ever made, and Justin Beiber is a better singer then Tom Waites.

A cash register is indeed a poor substitute for artistic genius.

[Monster Kid]

Gosh, to me, "The Incredible Dr. Markesan" with Boris Karloff as the mysterious doctor who does not wish to be disturbed ranks right up there among the most clammy cinematic horror greats. And I was grown up when I saw this episode (and all episodes of Thriller).  It was adapted from one of the great pulp stories. in Weird Tales by August Derleth.   Anyway, it was superb.  And Dick York and Carolyn Kearney did wonderful jobs.  "Pigeons From Hell", "The Hungry Glass" and "The Hollow Watcher" all are scary, could stand up against the gore fests of today.  I met a guy once who complained that The Blair Witch Project did not scare him because there was no nudity and very little gore.  I guess that nudity and gore are what make a film scary? 

[yendor1152]

Better?  I think I said that Meyer's writing ability is on the same level of Keanu Reeves acting ability.  But the truth is right now, Meyer is the more successful writer financially.  If you want to use how popular something is to gauge how great it is, then "Avatar" is the greatest motion picture ever made, and Justin Beiber is a better singer then Tom Waites.

I'd be willing to bet Meyer doesn't get the same money contractually than King. Come on. Her books might be more popular right now and outsell stuff like The Cell, and 11/22/63, but she doesn't have the cred King has when negotiating with publishers. Are you honestly saying that King isn't considered the best-selling horror genre writer in the last 40 years? That Meyer's books, her complete library, have outsold the entire King Library? The notion's ridiculous. And no, I know need to cite stats and pull out quotes from historians to back that claim up. Everyone knows it, just like everyone knows Stephen King. 

[yendor1152]

I met a guy once who complained that The Blair Witch Project did not scare him because there was no nudity and very little gore.  I guess that nudity and gore are what make a film scary?

I think a little gore and perhaps some nudity would've helped The Blair Witch Project and perhaps make it a little scarier...since I found it a totally dumb exercise in hype over substance. Rate R for swear words. Ok, that's why I go to see R-rated horror films. It certainly wasn't rated that for the horror factor.

[zombiehorror]

I think a little gore and perhaps some nudity would've helped The Blair Witch Project..............

Nah, some real atmosphere and a nice creepy soundtrack would have helped that movie immensely...well those things and a freaking steadicam!

[Mord]

Yeah, that too, but a good R-rated horror film should ALWAYS have nudity.

[Haunted hearse]

I'd be willing to bet Meyer doesn't get the same money contractually than King. Come on. Her books might be more popular right now and outsell stuff like The Cell, and 11/22/63, but she doesn't have the cred King has when negotiating with publishers. Are you honestly saying that King isn't considered the best-selling horror genre writer in the last 40 years? That Meyer's books, her complete library, have outsold the entire King Library? The notion's ridiculous. And no, I know need to cite stats and pull out quotes from historians to back that claim up. Everyone knows it, just like everyone knows Stephen King.

Again, if you're going to argue that how much money someone makes at something, equates them with superior talent, then James Whale was a hack, compared to James Cameron, because he made so much more money then Whale did at directing.  Because I don't have your great taste in artistic accomplishment, I would much rather watch an artistically inferior film like "Bride of Frankenstein", then to sit through "Avatar" a second time.  And the thing is "Bride of Frankenstein" is in Black and White and OLD!  It isn't new and shiny like (sigh) Avatar.  And they only have the one explosion at the end of the film with "Bride".  Everything blew up real good in Avatar!

[Mord]

I don't think "Bride of Frankenstein" has ever been called "artistically inferior" in any circle. It has been mention in the same group as "Citizen Kane" by noted film makers and respected critics alike.

[Haunted hearse]

I don't think "Bride of Frankenstein" has ever been called "artistically inferior" in any circle. It has been mention in the same group as "Citizen Kane" by noted film makers and respected critics alike.

But it didn't make as much money as Avatar!  And it didn't blow stuff up as good!  Couldn't James Whale have included at least one monster truck in the movie, to make this the perfect monster movie?

[Scatter]

Hearse..........you SAW "Avatar"? Good grief man.