Gremlins is a good example of how cute monsters can tie into merchandising the "horror" experience. This British pressbook for the movie is chock full of product tie-ins. The merchandising page (click image to enlarge) mentions items including soft drink concentrates, backpacks, tote bags, t-shirts, jigsaw puzzles, stickers, toys, and more. Who could resist a little Gizmo doll in his little car? Of course, true horror fans prefer Stripe.
I have a confession to make. I'm addicted to Peplum. That's right. There's nothing more exhilaratingly earthy than a super-strong brawny guy in loincloth kicking ass and tossing around large objects like they were wiffle balls. Whether he's fighting mythological monsters, fighting his way out of Hades with a swooning woman tossed over his shoulder, or rippling his dew-dappled muscles against enemies and assorted monsters, I'm in Heaven.
It's a guilty pleasure.
I grew up watching sword and sandal movies on television every Sunday. Steve Reeves and Gordon Scott were big, handsome, and always in command. Although they gave me one hell of an inferiority complex they still provided a lot of wholesome, he-man action against the supernatural.
Maybe I should confess...I have a weakness for masked wrestlers, too...
Continue reading "Goliath and the Vampires (1961) Pressbook" »
Real life serial killer Ed Gein's penchant for fashioning masks out of human skin provided the inspiration for Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which remains one of the most disturbing horror movies made. No matter how you slice it.
See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
Another sumptuous pressbook (campaign manual) from Universal Studios, Son of Dracula (1943). While I will agree that Lon Chaney's physique is the least beneficial asset to his portrayal of Count Alucard, the movie's atmosphere and effectively applied special effects create a uniquely intimate Gothic-noir.
Comic reader version: Download Son of Dracula Pressbook
See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
Universal Studios certainly knew how to do pressbooks (campaign manuals) for their horror movies. They were large, filled with many pages of publicity information, and presented with style. The showmanship pages have some clever ideas to promote the movie. I've left out a few of the poster and ad mat pages. (This color copy of the original pressbook is courtesy of Professor Kinema.)
See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
Continue reading "The Invisible Man Returns (1940) Pressbook" »
Movie Heralds were way cool extras to the movie-going experience before all the media- hyping via Facebook, Twitter, and (name-your-own-preference-here) took over. A sample "newspaper" would usually come with the pressbook and the theater would then purchase them in bulk, to hand out to patrons as free advertising to promote the movie.
Here's the one for The Legend of Hell House. See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
Here's the pressbook for The Return of Count Yorga, a solid contemporary vampire story that adds 1970s grittiness.
See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
This Amicus movie is one of my favorite scares. I found this nifty pressbook and merchandising manual in Professor Kinema's archives. See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
Continue reading "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) Pressbook" »
Move over silent era, step aside talkies, hit the road 3D. Now we have Duo-vision. Duo-Vision was by no means ground-breaking. It was just a promotional marketing term to describe split screen.
See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
The 13 pages promoting The Legend of Hell House do not appear in their printed order, but this is the complete pressbook.
See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
Continue reading "The Legend of Hell House (1973) Pressbook" »
Can your heart take the blood-letting? This heart-stopping moment courtesy of Professor Kinema. Don't skip the exploitation page at the end. It's got some nifty publicity gimmicks, especially the midnight menu.
See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.
Continue reading "Vampire Circus and Countess Dracula
Double Bill Pressbook" »
