Horror 2025 Countdown: The Thing That Couldn't Die (1958)

The Thing That Couldn't Die (1958), dir. Will Cowan, Universal Pictures 

The writing was on the wall for the Universal Monsters, but sometimes you can find some freedom when it doesn't matter anymore. 

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Count Cool Rider

 Real name: Danny Coker

Years active: 1990 to 2000

Moving West, we head to the Silver State and the count of cool himself, Count Cool Rider. Hosting Saturday Fright at the Movies on what was formerly KFBT-TV Channel 33, the Count was half vampire half Elvis.

Suave and actually had some films that weren't always public domain, the Count cracked wise with a bevy of undead beauties in between classic and not so classic. 

He's also the same guy from Counting Cars. I didn't know that. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Monolith Monsters (1957)

 The Monolith Monsters (1957), dir. John Sherwood, Universal-International 

Heading into the last roundup for Universal. Yes, the house that horror built had, at this point, regulated the much-vaunted monsters to the B-side; that is when they weren't making high camp of them.

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Margali

 Real name: Niels Erickson 

Years active: 1990-1993

After Scarticia, Jackson wouldn't have another host until the 90s and here we go. Hosting Thriller Theatre Staring Margali, airing on WDBD-TV Channel 40 in Jackson, the pale mystic, along with a disembodied hand and unseen werewolf announcer, picked the worst movies.

Actually won a few awards. Seemed to be a pretty standard host, although the white motif was a change from the usual black fright wigs. 

The show was also briefly syndicated in Georgia and Alabama but it started in Jackson and thus, a Mississippi host. 

Horror 2025 Countdown: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968), dir. Charles Jarrott, Dan Curtis Productions 

Beginning things this year, per tradition, with a mad scientist yarn and who madder than the tale of Jekyll and Hyde?

Horror Host 2025 Retrospective: Scarticia

 Real name: Unknown 

Years active: 1971-1975

Kicking off another year of fright and fear and this time out we take a look at the Magnolia State. Yes, Mississippi is kicking things off this year and we look at one of the first hosts, Scarticia. 

Her actual name? No idea, but she hosted Horrible Movies WAPT-TV Channel 16 out of Jackson. Not much info but it seems they roped the station secretary into the doing the job, but from all accounts she did a decent job. 

Her character seemed a not quite Vampira and not quite Morticia but she was good with the snark. Seems she was replaced as host but a couple of a guys with chainsaws but I was unable to find anything about them.

TFtember: Tech Specometer Eleven

Tech Specometer Eleven  

Starting this one up again and yeah, got a weird one.

Made by Nasta and rebranded for the North American market, this is a basically a child's first multitool. 

Included:

Telescope 

Periscope

Magnifying class

Tape measure 

Reflector

Altimeter

Compass

Flashlight 

Whistle

 Sundial

Counter

The Japanese version had a working AM radio instead of a reflector, but I guess somethings aren't meant to be. To my knowledge it never appeared in any other format or medium. I never cared for things like this, as the included tools were usually too small to be effective.