Return to the House of Franklin-Stein and its Horror Hall of Fame! This episode we spotlight horror icon Christopher Lee and the 1960 film The City of the Dead (aka Horror Hotel). Lee’s Professor Driscoll sends his star student to Whitewood, Massachusetts to research a witch burning there, but she finds some traditions never die!
Then it’s off to the comic crypt for Fantastic Four #94 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, where the FF visit the spooky home of Franklin’s new caretaker Agatha Harkness, and try to survive a night of revenge plotted by the Frightful Four!
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Clip credits:
City of the Dead (1960) directed by John Llewllyn Moxey
“Agatha All Along” from WandaVision, written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, featuring Kathryn Hahn
The Fantastic Four (1967) theme by Ted Nichols
“The House of Franklinstein” by Terry O’Malley, of Stop Calling Me Frank https://www.facebook.com/rockSCMF
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I’m so glad you covered CITY OF THE DEAD! That’s not a movie most people, even horror and/or Lee fans, know very well.
Usually when you look through a famous actor’s filmography, there are a few films that you’re like, huh, which one is THAT? More often than not, those films are mediocre at best–there’s a reason they haven’t endured. But COTD is unique there, as you pointed out. The story takes some unusual, if not downright innovative, turns, and the atmosphere is unbelievable.
As I have mentioned on other podcasts, I like cult or “nightmare town” movies, and the shots of the townsfolk stopping and staring at the interloper really work for me, setting a creepy tone.
Re: The Fantastic Four. I just finished re-reading Marvel the Untold Story, just a corker of a book. And as you mentioned as well, Kirby had one foot out the door by this point. But boy you couldn’t really tell by the art–the stuff looks so bold and slick, and I loooove how he drew that panther. The man gave 100% 100% of the time, it seems.
I had a few of the superhero model kits as a kid–Batman and the Hulk ones–but simply lacked the patience to build them. Nice box art, though.
Excited to see what’s next!
I feel like City of the Dead is starting to get a little more attention. But you’re right, where it’s not Hammer and not even quite Amicus, it tends to be left out of the convesation too often. Which is a shame, because it’s a gem for all the reasons you mentioned!
Speaking of “nightmare town” cult movies, have you seen Hammer’s The Witches (aka The Devil’s Own) with Joan Fontaine? Billy D and I discuss that on an upcoming episode of his Magazines and Monsters podcast. Right up your alley!
I really need to re-read Marvel The Untold Story myself. I couldn’t put that book down!
Funny you mention THE WITCHES. We just blind bought it at a video store (yes, there still is one) a few weeks ago but have not watched it yet. I didn’t know it had a nightmare town angle, bonus!
Oh yeah, it’s definitely a “nightmare town” type film. The plot of a Batman story Ryan and I are about to cover is also pretty similar. Let me know what you think of it!
I can confirm, as I discovered when I moved here, that New England schools typically have two breaks during the second semester. After the Christmas/New Years holidays, school will resume for 6-8 weeks and then take Winter Break mid- to late February. Then another 6-7 week block of classes before Spring Break in April, followed by the last stretch until Summer vacation. This was new to me, because growing up in the midwest we only had one break, Spring Break, usually in March.
Devilishly delightful episode, as always. So happy HoF is back!
Thanks for the clarification! But no thanks for proving Cindy right!
Chris, I keep forgetting you’re a fan of Dark Shadows! I was pleased to hear your mentions in the terror-ific return of House of Franklin-stein. “Barnabas Collins is Barnabas Collins. Of course, he’s not supposed to be.” LOL.
I agree to a certain extent about the show losing something when it went to color, but I think the movie, House of Dark Shadows, creates and maintains just as much atmosphere with its color cinematography. But, that’s also film vs. videotape.
See you again in two weeks on Whisper… I mean, Widow’s Hill…
I’m a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to Dark Shadows, Jeff. My dad told me about it for years, then I finally got to watch it on the Sci-Fi channel during summer breaks in high school in the 90s. But I did watch all 1,225 episodes! And I agree, House of Dark Shadows (which we covered a few years ago) does have a wonderfully eerie mood. I think it is the video tape vs. film thing. But, despite missing the black and white, the color DS episodes have a garish, Basil Gogos-quality about them!
‘Fire … PURIFIES !!!!’ is still my number one House of Franklin-Stein movie line.
But ‘Burn witch, burn witch, burn burn burn’ is a very very very VERY close second.
Never quite knew why Reed would think that a witch using the dark arts was the best nanny. Yes, Franklin would be protected. But all the extracurricular stuff seems sketchy. Why not let him be babysit by Mephisto?
Loved the episode.
Dr. Anj….were you a pyromaniac in a previous life? 😉
Love Twins of Evil (as if that wasn’t evident when we covered it) and that line! But Lee’s is probably a bit more iconic.
Yes! Wouldn’t Reed and Sue be worried about Franklin being…er…influenced by some of Agatha’s beliefs? But at least they were open to the idea that magic DID exist in the MCU, not ignoring the fact that they’d battled Dr. Doom and his sorcery, and met Dr. Strange. Unlike a certain pointy-eared DC hero who regularly forgets he’s fought vampires, teamed with the Spectre and Dr. Fate, etc…
This film sounds interesting, but it will be hard listening to the name “Jethro” used without automatically thinking “Beverly Hillbillies”. And yes, Valentine Dyall was seen or, even more often, heard in just about every sci-fi/fantasy show that came over from the UK in the early 80s. Not only was he the Black Guardian in several episodes of Doctor Who during both the Tom Baker and Peter Davison era, but he also appeared in Blake’s 7 and lent his distinctive voice to Hitch-hiker’s Guide as Deep Thought and Sapphire and Steel.
One of my earliest comics was FF #186 and I was under the impression that Agatha Harkness was something of a villain because a) she was a witch and b) she was the grandmother of the Salem’s Seven who were definitely bad guys. And then, when I discovered she was Franklin’s nanny, six year old me was truly confused.
My wife and I have finished all the Universal horror films that we have and are interested in more classics for this October. We will probably be looking for suggestions from past episodes of your podcast. Maybe, the Hammer films or even others like “City of the Dead”.
I thought of Jethro Bodine too, but I figured if we had any listeners named Jethro, I didn’t want to automatically insult them. And sorry if I just did!
Thanks for the additional info on Valentine Dyall. Sounds like a fascinating guy. And that voice!
I’m not as up on my Marvel lore as DC, but I think other than the MCU version, Agatha is usually a pretty good egg, those Salem Seven kinfolk aside.
Can’t recommend Hammer enough. Even their less movies are nothing if entertaining. I’d start with the true classics like Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula (Horror of Dracula in the US, and my favorite Hammer AND vampire film), their version of The Mummy (my favorite mummy film) and Curse of the Werewolf. That will give you the most Universal-like experience to wet your whistle for more Hammer. The Amicus stuff is also great.
Oh, man. The spooky season begins at the F&W network, catching me off guard yet again.
A fine episode, Cindy and Chris. Can’t comment too much on it, though, as I’ve never seen City of the Dead, but now kind of really want to. I vaguely recall reading the featured FF issue, but very long ago when I was a kid (and it was probably a borrowed comic book at that), but I loved your rundown.
Otherwise, Chris: at one point you noted that someone in the movie who was feeling upset as being ‘chuffed’ – as far as I know, that word means just the opposite, i.e., when Britons say they’re ‘chuffed’ (often sounding like ‘choffed’) it means they are delighted, pleased, tickled pink, etc.
Thanks for the correction Edo. That’s what I get for trying to expand my vocabulary! I shall endeavor not to mention tea and scrumpits.
But seriously, thanks for listening! As you can tell we recommend City of the Dead. It’s available for free on just about every streaming platform and cheap DVD horror collection out there, since its in the public domain.
Ha, I was going to ask that very same question, nice one Edo!
Thanks for a typically terrific episode, Cindy and Chris, I must find this film.
Found it! It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m currently watching Logan’s Run for the first time, but I shall get there.
My favourite film about a closed community is the Shirey Jackson-based The Lottery… brrrr.
That FF is one of my favourite issues ever, Agatha makes a massive impression from the start, she really is a wonderfully well-designed and realised character. It’s such a shame she’s been bastardised to reflect the (rather fun) TV version. It’s very odd that Marvel has never explained how Reed and Sue found Agatha – maybe Doctor Strange knew about her (I’m with Ben in assuming they knew she had power)s. Then again, if we go with that fun theory that Franklin rules the Marvel Universe, he subconsciously sought her out.
I hope you enjoyed City of the Dead, Martin. Let us know what you thought!
I haven’t seen the film verison of The Lottery, but recall the storyline being adapted for the final storyline of the original Dark Shadows.
I’m not up on current Marvel at all, so I wasn’t aware they were copying the MCU version of Agatha more closely now. But that shouldn’t surprise me, considering Cindy and I witnessed a group of “witches” perform Agatha All Along’s “Down the Witches Road” at our town’s Witches Day Out Festival yesterday!
Always great to have House of Franklinstein back. To me, it’s one of the first sign of autumn: kids are in school, football season kicks off, and deep dives into horror movies I’ve never seen but sound good. I think my favorite part is the movie posters in the gallery. Great work as always Cindy and Chris. Can’t wait for the next one.
I love digging up the different posters released over the years and in international markets. They paint an interesting picture of cultures across the decades.
Thanks for listening!