It’s hard to remember just what life was like in the 60’s. I can remember walking home in the dark after seeing a midnight showing of Night of the Living Dead and being scared out of my wits at every noise and shadow , along with my mates who were playing Macho games, being just as scared as I was. Ah, for simpler days, more innocent times. Each Horror studio had a bevy of Scream Queens, women of select and “ample” beauty, talent and the rare ability to make you jump out of your seat when they were frightened. These days all it takes is a series of camera cheats, lots of gore and skin. Yes, I wax nostalgic. There was innocence there, something sorely lacking today, where innocence is mistakenly portrayed as naiveté, or worse ignorance and stupidity.
Hazel Court, who worked with the likes of Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre, Vincent Price and Roger Corman died this week at the age of 82. To many of the young who read this blog, most, if not all of these names will mean nothing, and that’s a damn shame. To watch a film which REQUIRES you to willingly suspend disbelief is an artform that really no longer exists. I have ranted incessantly for you all to read. It is the basis for what we all do here. Well the new codicil to READ, DAMNIT, is going to be, Watch some old stuff too. See why Hazel was a Queen long before it was made camp by Elvira or soft core porn by the latest slasher flick. Try to see The Masque of the Red Death or The Premature Burial.
Farewell Hazel, those who knew you will always remember you.
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