AIP On The Cusp Of Change

King Karloff For 1965 Holidays

"Dr. Evil" (Phil Morris) Hosted Channel 3 Charlotte's
Long-Running "Horror Theatre" on Friday Nights

Beware: Another of Greenbriar's footie pajama posts where an increasingly distant past is slobbered over, a habit I once disdained in "old men" who attended cowboy cons and waxed nostalgic for Hoot and Hoppy. Now I'm one of them, only it's Boris/Bela/Ghidrah that command my sentiment. So herewith Die, Monster, Die!, one lately released, and glowing, as does its last-act "Monster," on Blu-Ray. I'd rather Boris Karloff not play men with secrets as here because that means he will talk less, me being one who'd listen to BK recite content off pantry shelves. Die, Monster, Die! was my 1965-idea of a class horror movie because Charlotte ran it for nine days at A-level hardtop the Capri, and even our Liberty gave midweek placement to what ordinarily would be half of a Saturday double. Die, Monster, Die! was that year's Christmas present, and though not apparent at the time, among last of old-style AIP amusements for the child in us all. A new year would see quick devolvement to biker, then protest, pics, a flip and ugly side of emerging youth as Nicholson/Arkoff saw them. Die, Monster, Die! was near-last for comforting style led by the Poe adaptations, themselves down for Tomb Of Ligeia count and not to return in Corman-directed format to which we'd been accustomed.

AIP had been for fast-change and market adaptation from beginnings, always ready to fold up a tent and move where crowds led them. Jim/Sam had seen popularity of old horror faces and used them singly or as bunches, thus Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Basil Rathbone, and Peter Lorre in revolving door that was budget chilling from 1960 success with House Of Usher. These were stalwarts a mainstream industry wanted less, but Jim/Sam knew their value to youngsters who stayed up Friday/Saturdays to see K/P/R/L pull graveyard shift on Shock Theatre. Karloff was pleased at seventy-eight to have a contract for chillers he'd play mostly from seated position, an old, old man that drew young, young patronage. I'd not miss a new Karloff and frankly regarded him over Vincent Price, who was to most crowds and AIP hirers the stronger boxoffice, maybe because Price gave them more the wink like late-night horror hosts.

May-Be a Last Of Great Combos AIP Distributed

Die, Monster, Die! became sort of an event for Castle Of Frankenstein #7 giving it cover treatment plus dispatch of correspondent Michel Parry to Brit location. This was heady stuff for readership that seldom got behind scenes, what with director Daniel Haller and star Nick Adams sitting for interviews and on-set photography allowed. Parry even handed out copies of CoF to an impressed DMD crew. The film was announced as "Karloff's First Dramatic Monster Role In A Horror Film Since 1939!!!!!," which made up with !!!!! what it may have lacked in accuracy. I did not necessarily want to see King Karloff playing a "monster" by 1965, being content with his making the scene intact and not being put to overexertion. CoF's cover glimpse indicated frailty, and we knew these parties couldn't go forever, but what joy to look at Die, Monster, Die! in afternoon theatre setting, then come home where Karloff had guest shots for TV and dominated late night with chillers done thirty years before. The mid-sixties monster boom was there for a reason ... never was so much of what we wanted at such ready access.

Die, Monster, Die! lives again on Blu-Ray, courtesy Shout! Factory. I'll say to at least personal satisfaction that it looks better here than unspooled at the Liberty, where "Colorscope" was by-word for adequate, but never more so. Deep IB Technicolor saturation enriched many of the Hammers, but seldom an AIP (ironically, the latter's trailers, printed on IB stock, were far richer than features they advertised, which were generally processed by Pathe labs). Does superior presentation make Die, Monster, Die! a better film? I'll say yes, forty-nine years having melted to pleasing effect for me, but not I'd hope to extent of Frieda Jackson's face as shown on CoF's cover (why did Cal Beck elect to feature her so prominently rather than Karloff?). Die, Monster, Die! is high-style horror beautifully designed (director Haller's strength) and you'll please never mind if the story doesn't altogether work. That's a letdown we must bear but once, while setting and atmosphere go on forever. This monster expects to see Die, Monster, Die! plenty more times before he die dies.