The Monster Club: Goofy Fun with Two Horror Legends
Photo credit: Chips Productions/Shudder
1981’s The Monster Club stars Vincent Price and John Carradine as a vampire and a horror writer who meet when Eramus(Vincent Price) feeds on what turns out to be his favorite author, R. Chetwynd-Hayes(John Carradine). This little gem is a great sometime cheese fest with a whole lot of heart.
Monsters rule, OK?
Photo credit: Chips Productions/Shudder
The Club
The grateful Eramus takes Chetwynd-Hayes to The Monster Club as a way to inspire the writer for his next novel. The anthology begins, each tale separated by music. Like, really decent music.
Shell relieve you of your coat, and about a pint of your blood.
Photo credit: Chips Productions/Shudder
The Chart
Seeing an odd chart on the wall sets off the tales, as Eramus explains how cross-breeding between the three main monsters-vampires, werewolves, and ghouls-works, and the powers the creatures possess.
The chart in greater detail.
Photo credit: Chips Productions/Shudder
The Shadmock
The Shadmock, Raven.
Photo credit: Chips Productions/Shudder
The Shadmock is lowest on the chart, but has a fascinating and fatal whistle.
Eramus begins the three tales with the sad story of the Shadmock, Raven(James Laurenson). He falls in love with the grifter, Angela(Barbara Kellerman). She and her boyfriend, George(Simon Ward), find an advert in the paper by the insanely wealthy Raven. He needs someone to help him inventory his priceless antiques. Certain that this is the big score, George sends Angela.
Raven is a Shadmock, and he falls in love with Angela. She uses him and soon finds out what his power, mixed with a broken heart, can do.
This is by far my favorite segment, and my heart broke for the poor creature. Of course, trying to intimate that the young Laurenson is a frightening faced monster is a hoot.
Not from the movie, just proof James Laurenson is not an ugly man.
Photo credit: BBC
I really thought it would have ended differently, as Angela didn’t seem as frightened of him as she railed to George about, and wanted to back out.
The Vampire Story
A vampire film producer(Anthony Steele) takes the stage at The Monster Club to debut a clip of his newest movie. It is an autobiographical story of his upbringing. Chetwynd-Hayes is surprised that the director is a vampire.
Chetwynd-Hayes: A vampire film producer?
Eramus: Well, aren’t they all?
The young Lintom(Warren Saire) didn’t know he had a vampire father(Richard Johnson) and mortal mother(Britt Ekland), or that his father was being hunted by the notorious vampire hunter Pickering(Donald Pleasence). Tables turn and a goofy ending wrap up the story.
Watching the first two segments, I thought ‘Ah, this is a movie for older kids. Then the musical number between the middle and last story features a song about and a dance by a stripper. It ends with the stripper turning into a cartoon silhouette before too much is seen, but I was scratching my head about this one until I realized it was a British film, and British/European sensibilities are a tad less prudish.
Man, I wish this movie had an available soundtrack.
The Humgoo
The last story involves an egocentric horror director named Sam(Stuart Whitman) He rejects the filming locations proposed to him, and sets out in his lime green Porsche to find a place on his own.
Photo credit: Chips Productions/Shudder
He comes to Loughville, an out of the way village inhabited by ghouls. He holes up in an inn, and befriends the inkeeper’s(Patrick Magee) half human(Humgoo) daughter, Luna(Lesley Dunlop). She rescues him and they plan their escape.
Sweet Luna, the Humgoo.
Photo credit: Chips Productions/Shudder
The artwork by John Bolton injected during the backstory of the village is really creepy, sending an actual chill down the spine.
Examples of John Bolton art seen in the film.
Photo credits: Chips Productions/shudder
The End
The movie ends with the human Chetwynd-Hayes being inducted into The Monster Club.
This movie is a hoot, with some decent makeup effects, some goofy, fun masks, and some sweet and sad moments. The music is pretty good, featuring groups like UB40, Night and The Pretty Things.
Cheesy With Moments of Heart
If you’re tired of slashers, demons, and aliens and want lighter fare with two horror legends, this is a fun film to try.
While searching out info on this film, I found that props, merchandise and memorabilia from this movie are big ticket items.
It is available on Shudder and Prime video for sure; check your streaming service for availability.
PS: If you like your monsters with heart and humor, this is a great read!
