Let’s keep rolling with the old school monster movies, shall we?

This one is a classic mash up as Lon Chaney’s Wolf Man is removed from his grave, resurrected, and quickly decides he needs to find a way to end his life as the ol’ silver bullet apparently didn’t work. Off he goes to find Dr. Frankenstein, hoping the man who figured out the secret of life also knows the secret of death. Unfortunately, upon arrival, Chaney discovers that the Doc is dead and his notes have been lost. Fortunately, he finds Frankenstein’s monster (played this time by Bela Lugosi), who also would like to be rid of his curse and granted the ability to die. Both of them are in luck, as another doctor comes along, willing to figure out a way to send the two monsters to the afterlife.

I love Lon Chaney. We started SHOCKtober with a late Chaney movie, so it’s good to talk about the role that made him famous. The Wolf Man is a sad character as he knows he’s done terrible things, but is unable to prevent them from happening or from stopping himself. Bela Lugosi, on the other hand, comes off as a little goofy in the role of the monster and I definitely prefer Karloff’s take. Lugosi looks old and is just a few years away from doing Plan 9 from Outer Space. In fact, many of the scenes here are done with a stand-in, and it’s rather obvious.

Despite this, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man is still a fun popcorn flick. It’s difficult not to enjoy the makeup, the special effects, and the models passing as set pieces. If you’re looking to buy it, this movie comes in the Wolf Man set.

Welcome to…SHOCKtober! Halloween is my favorite holiday, and October is my favorite month of the year. Every year in October, my wife and I spend the entire month watching horror flicks and each year we add a few new movies to our queue. With that in mind, I thought I’d try to post an entry each day in October – thirty-one in all- profiling a different horror flick. Life may get in the way, meaning I’ll miss a day or two, but hopefully I’ll be able to turn you on to a movie you’ve never seen or an old classic you forgot about.

We’ll kick the month off with an absolute classic: Spider Baby. This black & white gem from 1968 is pure b-movie genius. Directed by Jack Hill, who would later go on to make Foxy Brown, Spider Baby is like an R-rated version of The Addams Family. Starring Lon Chaney (not playing a monster, for once) as a caretaker working at an old mansion. His duties include taking care of the property and watching the psychotic family that lives there. This clan of inbreeds have a rare disease that causes them to mentally regress as they get older until they’re basically bloodthirsty cannibals. Chaney sympathetically watches over the family, making sure they don’t get out of line and, you know, eat somebody.

The trouble begins when some greedy distant relatives show up claiming a stake in the family fortune. And of course, these money-grubbers wind up spending the night in the Merrye house of horrors and bad shit happens.

Spider Baby is the definition of a cult classic. Low budget in every way, the movie nevertheless charms with its cheeseball story, sketchy acting, and absurd plot. These things aside, the camera work and the fact that it’s shot in black & white really make it a worthwhile watch. In addition, the soundtrack is catchy and superb. Spider Baby is classic horror shlock. Check it out.