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HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13th- Hope you have a truly lucky day-MonsterGirl
HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13th- Hope you have a truly lucky day-MonsterGirl
Here’s a clip courtesy of MOVIE CLIPS bringing us the antics of Chick and Wilbur as they’re menaced by Bela Lugosi reprising his role as Dracula and Glenn Strange stalking the boys as Frankenstein’s Monster. Co-starring Lon Chaney Jr as The Wolfman… Great fun!
Eternally Yours- MonsterGirl
Although Lillian Gish set the standard for excellence when she first started out in silent film having been discovered by D W Griffith in 1912, I’ll always love her as the resolute Rachel Cooper in Charles Laughton’s masterpiece Night of the Hunter 1955
Not to mention her memorable performances as Mother Mary of Mercy in Portrait of Jennie 1948 and Laura Belle McCanles in Duel in the Sun 1946, & Victoria Inch in The Cobweb 1955. I’d love to see the 1969 television version where she plays Martha Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace where she co-stars with Helen Hayes.
In Body in the Barn, Lillian Gish brings her manifest greatness to bare as Bessie Carnby a strong willed old lady who refuses to be coddled toward death, is a centerpiece of the community and loves the Apple Jack she hides under her pillow. When she butts heads with new neighbor Samantha Wilkins the sparks fly and Gish gives one hell of a performance!
Directed by Joseph Newman with a teleplay by Harold Swanton from a story by Margaret Manners.
Wonderful set direction by Julia Heron and John McCarthy Jr and cinematography by William Margulies.
Lillian Gish plays Bessie Carnby an intractable grand old lady who refuses to hold her tongue when the pretentious Samantha Wilkins (Patricia Cutts) and her ‘saggy kneed’ husband Henry (Peter Lind Hayes) move to the county and put up a fence.
Maggie McNamara is Bessie’s niece Camilla Peter, Kent Smith (Cat People) as Dr Adamson, Josie Lloyd (Lydia Crosswaithe The Andy Griffith Show and daughter to Norman Lloyd) is The Wilkins’ housekeeper Nora, James Maloney is Ed the storekeeper Doodles Weaver as Gregg, Bruce Andersen as Huckaby Richard Niles as the Deputy and Kelly Thordsen as Sheriff Pate O. Turnbull.
What makes this simple genteel mystery story set in a bucolic quaint American town work so well is Lillian Gish’s fortitude that brings a stunning exactness to her performance as a stubborn and proudful woman whose fierce independence won’t let the truth be denied its due.
In the opening prologue, Hitch as one of his various props is dressed up like a scarecrow. It was suggested that since he’s been frightening people for years ‘why not birds’.
It’s one of his funniest little introductions as he tells us about the evening’s story all Tuxedoed, stuffed with straw…and typically cheeky.
He had a number of visitors “One little girl and a tin woodsman who are quite bothersome. They seem to be under the absurd impression that I’m going to be up the road dancing with them…”
The story as Hitch suggests is one which inhabits a ‘Bucolic Mood.’ A pleasant little tale of homicide, lust, deceit revenge, and greed. A story that works its way backward in order to bring us up to the present day, using the lead character Bessie Carnby’s narration to tell us how things came to be the way they are. The episode has a bit of the voyeurism of Rear Window 1954 in it.
Lillian Gish brings to life Bessie Carnby, a staunchly proud woman, fearless and pragmatic. She’s an irascible old gal who’s been fending off death for years, can stand on her own two feet, and doesn’t like the idea that Samantha Wilkins, a harpy who owns a prosperous farm in the county has put up a fence along the community path.
Samantha’s veins are filled with ice as she bosses her husband Henry around and doesn’t care about being a good neighbor. After Effram Judge, Bessie’s handyman falls off the cliff into the white water rapids below though the body is never found, the vitriol and venom flow between these two women who have no need to parse words. Bessie blames The Wilkins fence for Effram’s accident. Samantha Wilkins shows no sympathy or concern for the poor man’s death or what the community thinks about her fence. It’s on her property and that’s that.
Bessie lives with her niece Camilla and is seen by Doc Sam Adamson. The unassuming Henry Wilkins befriends Bessie and Camilla and gets himself invited to dinner. But when he doesn’t show up, Bessie becomes suspicious that the virulent Samantha might have killed her husband and buried him in the barn.
Bessie has been listening to Camilla who shares Henry’s private confidences that his wife once attempted to murder him and he fears she will try again. After months with no letters or postcards or calls, Samantha refuses to tell anyone where her husband might be, Bessie and Camilla are convinced that something foul is afoot after Bessie spies on Samantha with binoculars watching the woman go back and forth to the barn with flashlight and shovel.
Gossip and nosiness go with any small community, but once Bessie sneaks into the barn to snoop around she discovers a grave and now Sheriff Turnbull and the town discover a quick-lime cadaver clutching one of Samantha’s buttons and wearing Henry’s wedding band. The body is thus identified as that of Henry Wilkins.
All eyes are on Samantha now as she is the number one suspect in her husband’s murder.
I don’t want to give away the ending to the story so I’ll leave you in the barn with the quick-lime stiff.
Body in the Barn opens with moving men unloading the Carnby’s farmhouse antiques into a large truck. Bernard Herrman’s musical imprint pokes through the bucolic mood with clarinets and strings paying homage to nature and the simple life.
A dealer Mr. Huckaby (Bruce Andersen) is walking around appraising and cataloging all the contents of the house. The sundry knickknackery and antiques like milk glass, etc. Huckaby’s clerk (Charles Kuenstle) drops a milk glass vase as he fumbles with his clipboard.
When Huckaby inquires what it was, he assures the clerk that it was only a replica and to forget it. But the camera pans downward to show shreds of packing paper amidst the shattered shards of milk glass on the floor, and one rolled-up handwritten note sitting in the middle of the confetti debris.
Composer Herrmann’s wondrous musical swirls assist the lens in closing in on the note that was hidden within the small vase. Thus begins the voiceover… as Bessie narrates the evening’s story.
“By the time this is found, it’ll be all over. Justice would have had its day. The scales will be in balance again. {the scene begins to cross fade}
It will be all over with me too. I’m ill and tired and I’ve been dying so long I’m bored with it… I’d lived in the county a long time. This is my home. These are my people. Now they’ve turned against me. But still I owe them something. I owe it to them to set history straight. To bring to the light of day the two lies that together make a truth.”
We are dropped into a landscape of vast open fields. Lillian Gish as Bessie Carnby and our narrator is running frenzied in a nightgown and robe as if carried by the wind.
Aunt Bessie runs feverishly to the seaside cliff. She is met by her niece Camilla. “Aunt Bessie you turn right around and go on back home.” Bessie says, “Not on your life,” Bessie asks her niece, ‘Who was it? Who fell off that cliff last night? “ “There is nothing you can do about it right now go on back to the house” ” Was it Effram?” She looks at her aunt direly. Bessie begs her “Tell me, tell me” “They think so… they haven’t found him yet.”
Bessie takes in a deep breath.
Camilla runs after her fiery Aunt. The sheriff asks the Wilkins, “What time did you hear him yell?”
“A little past 8 I’d say” Henry answers, “Before 8” he looks at her. “Samantha I was in the barn by 8” She insists in her rigid tone, “He yelled before that” Henry replies, “I could have sworn” “About 10 to, I was in the kitchen and I heard it from the opened window”
Bessie, out of breath comes running up the hill and asks the sheriff, if they’ve found the body. He points to the raging waters below and tells her that if he fell into that, he probably won’t be found by this side of Tightwater.
Sheriff Turnbull says, “He had no business walking this path, dark coming on with his eyes as bad as they were Bessie.” She defends such a notion, “He wasn’t used to this path!”
Samantha Wilkins snaps, “He could have taken the road.” “A mile and a half out of his way” Bessie croaks out a passionate condemnation at the cold-hearted woman.
The sheriff asks “Is this a piece of his MacInall?”
“He was wearing it when he left” Bessie begins to cry.
Sheriff Turnbull figures, “Well he probably got it caught in the fence here and tried to get it loose and got careless with his footing.”
“My fence belongs on my property line. That’s where I put it and that’s where it’ll stay… If it fenced off a short cuts that’s too bad it’s legal and proper… make of it what you will but don’t try to put the death of Ef Judge on my conscience.” –Samantha Wilkins
The banter between Lillian Gish and Patricia Cutts is a wonderful piece of dramatic interplay.
Lillian Gish’s performance here is spectacular as she modulates her voice from an inner strength that springs forth from lifelong wisdom to a tone of righteous indignation.
The two women frame a powerful exposition of the old vs the modern vs the sacred traditionalism of small-town ethics and suggest to us a commentary on class struggle. The modern world has intruded on the old quaint ways of a simpler time. With the wealthy and almost demonic Samantha, entitled and encroaching on the quaint ways of an old-fashioned woman and the world she used to inherit. Causing one man’s death and alienating an entire community. Before the Wilkins came and put up the fence, life was simple. Bessie spells it out in her tirade perfectly.
Samantha starts to attack Bessie, “Since when…” but her husband Henry breaks in as if to plead with his wife to show some compassion, “Samantha…”
Sheriff Turnbull finally breaks up the quarrel, “Now there’s no point hashing this thing over now.”
Suddenly Bessie appears to have an attack. She collapses and Sheriff Turnbull catches her.
Henry Wilkins picks her up and tells her he’s taking her home. She’s gasping for air and out of breath but she tells him to put her down. Camilla calls out “Aunt Bessie…” In a rasping voice, she tells him “I’ll get there on my own two legs.”
The sheriff tells Bessie that if the doc knew what she was up to he’d have her hide.
Henry begins to carry her. She continues to argue with the exhausted breath she’s got left.
So, since the incredible William Castle Bash, I’ve been very quiet. I’ve had a lot going on with me at happiness house and just didn’t have the mental nor physical capacity to throw myself into a good old MonsterGirl post. It’s been one of those eerie months of mishaps, tragedies and all around Mishagos as my dear Russian Grandma Millie would say.
I’ve been in the ER twice due to an ongoing chronic illness I’ve been struggling with for years. My dearest friend’s young dog died from a rare disease this week, our tenants living in our little gem of a house in Maine are making life hell for us. They’re also suing us… in this climate of litigation it’s incredibly ludicrous to even threaten such a thing… but they are crazier than the Carta family in Boris Karloff’s Masquerade. I wish I could send Max Von Sydow over there to exorcise the dark cloud of negativity, antagonism and virtual mayhem they have been causing my partner and I. Where’s the holy water?
I’m sweating bullets til they vacate hoping they don’t steal my upright Grand piano Augusta Finch whom I left for their daughter to learn to play piano. Now they say, it’s become a burden that’s in their way.
The audacity and delusion boggles. It’s all about that first bowl of friendly fruit salad, where I should have seen the cues. That story for another time. But it is now going to be known as the ‘fruit salad’ theory.
My Mac fried, and worse than that, my sweet little Siamese Daisy has been sick. Hasn’t sung a tune with me in weeks. I’m hoping that’s it’s nothing worse than a routine UTI. My vet called me a Weenie because I care too much about my feline family. She’s a dog person. Me… with cats, I guess that makes me a weenie… Add that to the list of things I am.
My own brother has honed the fine art of Jewish guilt from mom may she rest in piece like the Rubins she was and is now punishing me with silence I don’t stay in touch enough oy vey. I adore my friends BUT-A few of my friends have been down right ornery & cantankerous- I need nice around me now.
All in all, I keep waiting for the next windfall of storm clouds to rain on us. Not to put the kibosh on it… we’ve got each other, our health ( well I’ve got painkillers to get me through the weekend til I see the Neurologist on Monday) and our beautiful cat family.
It may not look like the generic All American family you see on a Walmart commercial, but we’ve got lots of love and good friends who support and love us.
I need a protection spell to fend off the Strigoi (in the old country it’s basically a devil) and boogeyman and ill winds that keep heading our way.
I’ll be back writing on The Last Drive In. I’m just too drugged from the meds, and pooped from the meanness and gaul of people in this world who just need to create chaos. I can’t even put two sentences together.
Ironically, I just put several sentences together… let’s just call this one a cathartic rant…
Gonna go back to watching THE THING- since I couldn’t make it to the Film Forum’s showing
Love you guys-a tired little Joey who will be back-
PS I’m growing my dreadlocks back. I need my ‘muchness’ again So screw uptight Caldwell NJ
Supported by your ever lovin’ MonsterGirl of The Last Drive In
I’ve always been a big fan of Karen Black. I can’t tell you why here in a brief tribute. I’ve just been strangely drawn to her over the years. She’s got a unique quality that’s very hard to define…
I didn’t even realize we share the same birthday. I’m really sad as so many of us are, at the tragic loss of Karen Black who apparently suffered for the past few years from a rare type of pancreatic cancer.
I don’t want to take this time to post a trailer with her being chased by the little African Zuni doll that torments her feverishly in Dan Curtis’ Trilogy of Terror TV Movie 1975
I’ll only mention loving her Mrs Allardice in the very eerie and compelling Burnt Offerings ’76 that co-starred Bette Davis also by the culturally prolific Dan Curtis who always had his finger on the pulse of television’s best campy horror.
She’s known for her excursions into the horror and thriller genres that’s true but Black was a truly diverse actress.
Karen Black has so many performances to her credit that you should just go to IMDb and see for yourself the amount of work she’s done over the years. Not the least of which is her iconic role as quirky waitress Rayette Dipesto in Bob Rafelson’s Five Easy Pieces in ’70 or even her sympathetic Myrtle Wilson in Jack Clayton’s The Great Gatsby in ’74.
I had the privilege of corresponding with Karen Black through email a few years back, when a musical piece I wrote for one of her last films, an indie women in prison film called STUCK. Angels in Concrete almost made it into the picture but was cut at the last minute.
She was so receptive and gracious to me. She even called me Joey. It meant a lot to me that she took the time to answer my note. She had been touring with her cabaret show singing at the time. I didn’t even know she’d been ill.
I feel like we’ve lost a part of film culture, and I’m so sad that she suffered and died so young. She had a lot of things to do on this earth yet…
Thanks for giving us some memorable performances Karen Black, and thanks for your graciousness to me and your very unique style. We’ll miss you…
-Joey
After many years of William Castle slaving over B movies and programmers like The Whistler and The Crime Doctor, he found his niche in horror. He saw Henri-Georges Clouzot le Diabolique in 1955 and it lit a fire in his belly to create his own Gothic creepy storytelling that would lure the audience under its spell. Thus sung Macabre in 1958. While certainly not Diabolique, Macabre put Castle on the path toward creating engaging & frightening landscapes that would entertain millions!
That same year, thanks to his very successful House on Haunted Hill and his 12-foot plastic glow-in-the-dark skeleton deemed ‘Emergo’ that flew over theatre audiences, he was now dubbed the ‘King of Gimmicks.’Â Castle went on to chill us with The TIngler in ’59, 13 Ghosts in ’60, Homicidal and Mr Sardonicus in ’61, Strait-Jacket in ’64, and I Saw What You Did in ’65 both landing Joan Crawford at the helm.
With all the ballyhoo and commercial success, Bill was craving respect. He thought he’d find that admiration in Rosemary’s Baby, a novel by Ira Levin (A Kiss Before Dying, The Stepford Wives, Boys From Brazil) about an unassuming pretty little housewife chosen by a coven of New York City witches to be the mother of Lucifer’s only begotten son and heir.
What is remarkable about the film is the realism. It is so careful to remain dedicated to the naturalistic tone of Levin’s novel showing us a set of ordinary characters in an apparently common world. Then they gradually become introduced to extraordinary elements of dark forces, both magic and fantasy that begin to overwhelm the narrative. We as spectators are now caught up in Rosemary’s plight and her utter sense of powerlessness. This story is less about witches and more about paranoia and the lack of control over our own bodies and destiny. However explained in supernatural terms, it’s still about losing trust with those closest to us, the people we depend on to protect us from harm. We watch as Rosemary’s world turns upside down.
I saw Rosemary’s Baby during its theatrical release in New York in June 1968. It was billed as a double feature with The Mephisto Waltz. We won’t get into how either really enlightened or truly nutty, depending on your perspective, my mom was for taking her 6-year-old little girl to see two very intense horror pictures dealing with adult and subversive themes.
I was an extremely mature child and the film not only didn’t traumatize me, but it also opened up a world of desire for me to see as many intellectual horror stories without fear of nightmares. Although I must admit when I used to watch Robert Wise’s The Haunting in broad daylight on a Saturday afternoon, I did manage to lock the basement door and shove the large gold (the color of Archie Bunker’s favorite chair) loveseat in front of it to keep any boogeyman from coming up the basement stairs into the den when I was alone in the house.
I also just saw Rosemary’s Baby remastered on the big screen at the Film Forum a few weeks ago. I have to admit, that as soon as Christopher Komeda’s music starts playing and the bird’s eye view of the Dakota emerges on screen the electricity started flowing up my legs, this time not my usual RLS, I began weeping. Not only is Rosemary’s Baby my favorite film, but I also recognize the confluence of perfectionism in each and every scene that makes it a flawless masterpiece, from the vibrant performances to the exquisite storytelling. Every detail is magical and I don’t mean devilish, I mean artfully.
Something else wonderful happened during the screening that day. Amidst all the other film geeks like myself, and aside from the audible pleasure the audience let out when the magnificent Ruth Gordon and Sidney Blackmer walk on the screen where we all laughed and silently cheered for their strolling entrance as the iconic quirky and eccentric devil-worshiping senior citizens. When Bill Castle did his Hitchcock walk on by the phone booth, I realized that it wasn’t only me smacking my partner Wendy’s knee with childhood excitement, “There’s Bill, there he is!!! We both chuckled with glee to see his wide warming grin. Suddenly we heard others in the crowd stirring and murmuring “there he is, that’s Bill Castle!!!” Amidst all the appurtenances Rosemary’s Baby has to offer, so many of us fans were thrilled to catch sight of Mr.Castle with his fat cigar standing by the phone booth. We were collectively excited to see the man who had entertained us all these years. It was heartwarming. I did tear up.
I recognize Roman Polanski as the auteur that he is, but that is not what I want to dwell on here. I want to stress that Rosemary’s Baby would not have been made if it weren’t for William Castle and his perseverance, passion, and eye for intellectual property. William Castle acknowledged that The Lady From Shanghai was a work of art because of Orson Welles‘ direction, however, it was Castle who first discovered and purchased the rights to If I Should Die Before I Wake, only to have Orson Welles turn around and pitch it to Harry Cohn as his own idea.
It was Rosemary’s Baby that Bill chose to elevate his status from B movie maker to respected filmmaker in a very fickle industry. Let’s pay tribute to one certain fact: Rosemary’s Baby would not be the film it is after 45 years without William Castle’s imprint on it.
Bill’s memoirs Step Right Up, I’m Gonna Scare the Pants Off America (which is a fantastic read for any enthusiast about the golden age of Hollywood and just a darn good bit of storytelling) describes how William Castle’s literary agent Marvin Birdt, the person who found the script and insisted Bill read the galleys immediately. Castle looked at the title and dismissed it saying “It’s probably some story about an unwed mother… cheap exploitation. Who the hell wants to make a picture like that?”Â
Bill Castle thought the film just wasn’t for him at that point. It was 1968 and the film industry wasn’t really embracing horror films anymore. He was so overwhelmed with the lousy books and manuscripts that were piling up that he just couldn’t fathom wasting any time with yet another piece of junk. But, it took him all of three hours to finish the story, as he said, ‘bathed in sweat and shaking.’ Castle saw the magnitude of Ira Levin’s story when it was still in unpublished manuscript form: “I made up my mind when I read the novel Rosemary’s Baby that it was the greatest novel that would translate into a screenplay that I had ever read. That just lent itself to a brilliant movie. And I loved the property and I brought the property because I wanted to prove to the industry and my fellow peers that I could do something really brilliant.” (Step Right Up, 2010) He told Ellen, his wife, that it was one of the most powerful books he’d ever read, and that it would be an incredible picture to make. When Ellen finished reading it, she told him “It’s disturbing… frightening and brilliant.”(SRU, 2010) But Ellen also warned that he’d have trouble with the Church.
Castle’s agent Birdt tormented him about other studios and directors interested in the story and making offers. Later, Castle found out that the book had actually been offered to Alfred Hitchcock first. One wonders what it might have looked like if Hitch had been behind the camera, storyboarding Levin’s work.
Bill Castle was worried that he was going to lose the picture, but where was he going to get the quarter of a million Birdt demanded to finance the rights to the film? He asked Birdt to offer one hundred thousand dollars upfront and then fifty thousand if the book became a bestseller with five percent of one hundred percent of the net profits. His agent wasn’t very encouraged that they’d accept the offer. The waiting to hear back was excruciating, but Castle did get the rights to Rosemary’s Baby. Now he had to come up with the money!
In Step Right Up, Bill describes how Robert Evans, in charge of Paramount Pictures, called to check in, not sure William Castle could handle such a serious motion picture. But, Charles Bluhdorn, owner of Paramount, wanted to meet with Castle personally to discuss the picture, saying “I have big plans for Paramount, and they include you.” Castle found Bluhdorn’s persona magnetic. He told him that Bob Evens had informed him about Castle’ obtaining Rosemary’s Baby.“Would you like to make the picture for us?” Of course, Castle told him, yes.
“Your services as producer, how much would you want?” Bill Castle corrected Bluhdorn by adding the word ‘director’… trying to avoid negotiating with this man without his lawyer. Bluhdorn wasn’t having any of that. He told Castle that he would not negotiate with lawyers on the making of Rosemary’s Baby. It’s either between Castle and him, or Donnenfeld and Castle’s attorney. Castle decided he had the ego to take on this financial genius and told him he’d negotiate with him directly. But first, Bill asked him if he had read the story. Bluhdorn had not. Bill thought that worked to his advantage as the story was intensely disturbing so the less Bluhdorn knew about the story the better.
When Bill Castle finally blurted out that he’d want to produce and direct, Bluhdorn laughed at him and called him a ‘big ridiculous clown.’ He tried to offer Bill only one hundred fifty thousand for the film plus thirty percent of the profits. Bill told him no way. It was a hard bargaining session. Bluhdorn didn’t know what he was dealing for and Bill did, Bluhdorn was also dropping the phony niceties and getting close to bowing out of any deal. “If I walk through that door, Rosemary’s Baby is finished at Paramount. No one -and I mean no one- will renegotiate!” Castle finally composed his inner panic and came back at the austere blowhard with an offer of two hundred fifty thousand and fifty percent of the profits. It was a deal. (Step Right Up, 2010)Â
Bill’s daughter, Terry Castle remembers, “He had to do whatever he could and it was his time. Mom and Dad mortgaged the house and they bought the rights for a substantial amount of money.” (Spine Tingler: The William Castle Story)
With that he asked Castle’s age and if he’d heard of director Roman Polanski, or seen any of his pictures. Castle had seen Repulsion and Knife in the Water. Bluhdorn sang Polanski’s praises calling him a genius. He impressed upon Castle that with the director’s youth and Castle’s experience as a producer, they could both learn from each other. Bill Castle started to find his fire, “Look Mr. Bluhdorn, the reason I bought Rosemary’s Baby with my own money was to direct the film… It’s going to be an important motion picture and I’m not going to miss the opportunity of directing.” (Step Right Up, 2010)
Bluhdorn told him that Polanski directs Rosemary’s Baby or no deal, and asked Bill to at least meet the young director. Castle says “I had made up my mind to hate him on sight"¦ and that he wasn’t going to direct the picture I said absolutely no way. I bought the picture, I bought the book. I own it, I’m going to direct it..{…} I worked all my life to get something worthwhile on the screen and so at first sight I hated him.” He’d sent Polanski the galleys to read and if after meeting him he decides he doesn’t want him directing the movie then fine. Bill Castle says in his memoirs that while Bluhdorn was a tough negotiator he was at least an honorable and fair man whose handshake was better than a written contract.
In Step Right Up, 2010 Castle describes his first impression of Roman Polanski was that he was a little cocky vain narcissist who liked to look at himself in the mirror a lot. Bill asked if he liked the story, “I like it very much… It will make a great picture.” Polanski spoke in his Polish accent. “You would like to direct Rosemary?” Bill asked. “That’s why I’m here. Nobody will be able to direct it as well as Roman Polanski.” And Bill Castle’ felt that Ira Levin’s book was perfect for the screen, needing absolutely no changes whatsoever in adapting it. This was something he felt passionately about. He posed the question to Polanski. “The book is perfect… no changes must be made,” Bill says that Polanski was so intense about this that it was quite jarring. “It’s one of the few books I have read that must be translated faithfully to the cinema.” (Step Right Up, 2010)
And having read Levin’s book, I can tell you that reading each line of every page is exactly like watching the story unfold on screen. It is the most faithful adaptation I’ve ever read, more like reading the script after the fact.
Then Castle posed a trick question to Polanski to see what his vision was for filming the narrative, suggesting to him that the camera should not only move around a lot but use strange shots to tell the story. Polanski was empowered by his convictions and told Bill, “No, I don’t Mr. Castle. Actors tell a story… like peeping through the keyhole of life. I do not like crazy tricks with the camera… must be honest.” That was exactly how Bill Castle saw the film being made. When Polanski told Bill to start calling him Roman, Bill couldn’t help but start to like this man who truly did share a special vision for a very special story. Polanski went on to tell him, “Bill, we can make a wonderful picture together. I have been looking for a long time for a Rosemary’s Baby. To work with you would be my privilege.” (Step Right Up, 2010)
Terry Castle, Bill’s daughter, remembers: “Polanski came over to the house and he was this young wild guy, just this incredibly wily dynamic man with this very thick accent talking about cameras and light he was just incredibly dynamic himself and my dad totally got him. He wanted to get Rosemary’s Baby made and he wanted to produce it"¦ and yet he wanted to direct it. But I think once he met Roman Polanski I think he understood he could bring something incredibly special to the project. And I think it was okay for Dad to give that up to him because I think he saw the brilliance in this man. […] Even though he wasn’t going to be directing it at least his name was going to be on it as a William Castle production and he was making for the first time in his life an important studio film.” (Spine Tingler: The William Castle Story)
The last thing Bill Castle needed to know was who he’d pick to write the screenplay and why. Polanski told Bill he would do it himself because he would stick strictly to the book. They spent the rest of the time discussing the film, Bill finding Polanski brilliant and extremely open. He immediately called Bluhdorn and told him that he was right Polanski was the only one who could direct Rosemary’s Baby. Bill Castle had the wisdom and grace to understand that Polanski would make a great film, but to be fair to Bill Castle. it’s also only after his careful facilitation and thoughtful know-how that helped bring Ira Levin’s story to life.
Polanski kept his word, he wrote the screenplay and adhered strictly to the book as promised. Polanski asked Bill to help him find a house by the beach to work and that he’d send his fiance over to help him look for one. On a Sunday morning, Sharon Tate was standing at Bill Castle’s door. They found the perfect beach house for the couple, owned by Brian Aherne who was in Europe.
Polanski wanted to use Richard Sylbert to do the set design for the film. Sylbert had just finished working on Mike Nichols’ The Graduate. Roman Polanski thought his work was brilliant. Polanski suggested Tuesday Weld in the lead as Rosemary. Bill agreed that she was a fine actress but said, “I think the role was written for Mia Farrow” Polanski watched her in several episodes of Peyton Place and didn’t agree. He thought Tuesday Weld would be better. Jane Fonda, Julie Christie, Elizabeth Hartman, and Joanna Pettet were also considered for the part. Evans asked about the casting of Rosemary, and they both gave their choices. Evans told them that he didn’t think Mia Farrow was available because she was working with George Cukor, he’d check with Zanuck at Fox and in the meantime try and get a reading with Weld.
Now the buzz was all over Hollywood and every actress in town felt they would be just perfect for the lead role, but Polanski was still stubborn about Tuesday Weld. When Zanuck called Bill and told him the Cukor picture fell through, and Mia was available. Bill set up a meeting with Mia and Polanski over lunch and Polanski wound up being completely mesmerized by her. He finally agreed she would play Rosemary. The rest is history.
Roman Polanski actually developed a wonderful working relationship with Mia Farrow on the set. She didn’t bring any preconceived motivations to her role as Rosemary Woodhouse. Supposedly he had some difficulties with Catherine Deneuve on the set of Repulsion, but he found Mia very amenable to work with. Mia followed Polanski’s directions very well, which might explain some of her childlike and innocent air in her performance of the blithe and charming Rosemary.
Continue reading “Backstory: What ever happened to William Castle’s baby?”
JUST A REMINDER THAT WE’RE EVER GRATEFUL TO DAVID ARRATE AND WENDY CHRISTENSEN FOR FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE BANNERS WHICH MADE THIS WHOLE SHINDIG A SMASHING SUCCESS
This is the last gasp of air we’ll all be able to settle down from the week’s excitement! No more buzzers under your seats, or skeletons in the cellar. No more Ballyhoo and Fanfare… at least until the next time… You’ve all been so swell, I feel all tingly inside… uh oh. Nah it’s just the warm glow of appreciation to so many wonderful and brilliant bloggers who turned out to help Terri and I celebrate the greatest showman of em all… I hope you all had fun. I know we did. And please, keep William Castle in your hearts and every once in a while dust off one of his fabulous motion pictures and make a night of it with the entire family. He lived to entertain you, I hope we did the same…
Here at The Last Drive In I’ll be featuring the fabulous Dorian from Tales of the Easily Distracted – with a zany romp: The Spirit is Willing (1967)
Fritzi (Gwen) from Movies Silently is going to wow us (silently from the projection booth of course) with, After the Silents: Chills! Thrills! William Castle Special!
Then Jeff Kuykendall of Midnight Only is going to be all creepy crawly with his feature on Bug (1975)
David Arrate of My Kind of Story "“is going to dazzle us with ‘Its a Small World Malcolm Shanks’
Classic Film and TV Cafe A William Castle Double Feature: The Tingler and Mr. Sardonicus- An Undertaker Is Standing By In Case You Die Of Fright!
Misty of Cinema Schminema is going to thrill us with Project X (1968)
and finally The Nitrate Diva -is getting all mysterious noir on us with Castle’s Betrayed aka When Strangers Marry (1944)
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures wants to show appreciation for some of her fellow bloggers with ‘recommended reading’
A little something for your Nightmare’s from The Phantom Erik  Episode 048: The Tingler (1959 Podcast
With Love to you Mr. William Castle-From all of us and your ever lovin’ MonsterGirl- Joey! Good Night-
Aurora at Once upon a screen… The Night Walker (’64)
Rich at Wide Screen World: Top 5 William Castle Gimmicks
Le at Critica Retro: Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven (’48) ‘Live Dreaming’
Furious Cinema: William Castle: Mad as Hell Movie Showman
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Favorite Things About… House on Haunted Hill
Forgotten Films: Macabre (’58)
Barry at Cinematic Catharsis: 13 Ghosts (’60)
Joey at The Last Drive In: House on Haunted Hill (’59) ‘Only the ghosts in this house are glad we’re here’
Goregirl’s Dungeon: Fun with GIFS: The William Castle Edition
David Arrate of My Kind of Story  It's a Small World (1950) ‘Image Gallery’
The Last Drive In– William Castle’s Villains & Victims! Scream-O Vision…
Ivan of Thrilling Days of Yesteryear & Radio Spirits: The Whistler, Mark of the Whistler, Voice of The Whistler
Heather Drain at Mondo Heather: 13 Frightened Girls! (1963) & Hullabaloo & Horror: A Tribute to William Castle
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Matinee (1993) A Cinematic Love Letter to the films of William Castle
Karen at Shadows and Satin: Mysterious Intruder (1946)
Kristina at Speakeasy: The Houston Story (1956)
Ray at Weird Flix: Slaves of Babylon (1953)
The Metzinger Sisters at Silver Scenes: Busy Bodies: Promoting Castle’s Camp” & The Films of William Castle!
Ivan G. Shreve at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear: The Chance of a Lifetime (1943) {Boston Blackie}
Goregirl's Dungeon:The Women of Castle
Brian Schuck at Films From Beyond The Time Barrier:Strait-Jacket (1964) ‘Mommie Dearest please put down that axe!”
Joey that’s me at The Last Drive In: Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949)
Rob Silvera at The Midnight Monster Show: Double feature Homicidal (1961) & House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Macabre (1958)
Goregirl’s Duneon– Goregirl’s Dungeon on YouTube: Alex North & Vic Mizzy‘
Steve Habrat at Anti Film School: Mr Sardonicus (1961)
Classic Movie Hub: The Busy Body (1967)
John LarRue at The Droid You’re Looking For: William Castle Gimmick Infographic
Paul Lambertson at Lasso the Movies: The Tingler (1959)
Goregirl's Dungeon: Favourite Five Series: William Castle
David Arrate at My Kind of Story/Images Masterson of Kansas (1954)
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Tribute to “The King of the Corn” William Castle
Scenes From The Morgue: Showcase of newspaper ads for William Castle films
Stacia at She Blogged By Night: Let’s Kill Uncle (1966)
Ruth- R.A Kerr at Silver Screenings: The Old Dark House (1963)
Ivan G. Shreve at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear: I Saw What You Did (1965)
Ray at Weird Flix: The Saracen Blade (1954)
Toby Roan at 50 Westerns: The Law vs Billy the Kid (1954)
Misty Layne at Cinema Schminema: Project X (1968)
Jenna Berry at Classic Movie Night: Ghost Story/Circle of Fear
Classic Film and TV Cafe A William Castle Double Feature: The Tingler and Mr. Sardonicus- An Undertaker Is Standing By In Case You Die Of Fright!
Kristen at Journeys in ClassicFilm: Spine-Tingler: The William Castle Story
Joey at The Last Drive In: Back Story: What Ever Happened to William Castle’s Baby? (Rosemary’s Baby)
Jeff Kuykendall at Midnight Only: Bug (1975)
LIndsey The Motion Pictures: ‘Recommended Reading-William Caslte Blogathon’
Gwen Kramer at Movies Silently: After the Silents: Chills! Thrills! William Castle Special!
David Arrate at My Kind of Story-Images: ‘It’s a small world Malcolm Shanks part one’
The Nitrate Diva: Betrayed aka When Strangers Marry (1944)
Dorian Tenore Bartilucci at Tales of the Easily Distracted: The Spirit is Willing (1967) William Castle in Duo-Vision! The Spirit is Willing and ZOTZ!
Vinnie Bartilucci at Tales of the Easily Distracted: ZOTZ! (1962 William Castle in Duo-Vision! The Spirit is Willing and ZOTZ!
Sam at Wonders in the Dark: Krzysztof Komeda’s Score, Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
AND SAY… DON’T WAIT TOO LONG TO DIVE INTO ANY OF THESE INCREDIBLY THRILLING FEATURES OR YOU MAY JUST WIND UP LIKE THIS POOR FELLA!
AND IF YOU’RE READING AT NIGHT MAKE SURE TO USE A LIGHT… YOU DON’T WANT TO RUIN YOUR EYES!
Today I’m pleased to feature -Ruth at Silver Screenings with her spot on navigation of The Old Dark House 1963.
I’m so excited I didn’t scare the ‘you know what’ out of Classic Movie Hub who’s is bringing us The Busy Body (1967)
Paul at Lasso the Movies is going to tackle The Tingler (1959)"¨ Let’s hope he screams loud enough!
FIRST: Watch this warning from William Castle just so you know what you’re getting into!
POOR JUDITH EVELYN-IT NEVER FAILS-SHE’S ALWAYS GETTING THE BEJESUS SCARED OUT HER!!!!
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures -is going to pay Tribute to ‘The King of the Corn’ William Castle
Ray at Weird Flix -is offering us another spectacle with The Saracen Blade (1954)
Aurora at Once upon a screen... The Night Walker (’64)
Rich at Wide Screen World: Top 5 William Castle Gimmicks
Le at Critica Retro: Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven (’48) ‘Live Dreaming’
Furious Cinema: William Castle: Mad as Hell Movie Showman
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Favorite Things About… House on Haunted Hill
Forgotten Films: Macabre (’58)
Barry at Cinematic Catharsis: 13 Ghosts (’60)
Joey at The Last Drive In: House on Haunted Hill (’59) ‘Only the ghosts in this house are glad we’re here’
Goregirl’s Dungeon: Fun with GIFS: The William Castle Edition
David Arrate of My Kind of Story  It's a Small World (1950) ‘Image Gallery’
The Last Drive In– William Castle’s Villains & Victims! Scream-O Vision…
Ivan of Thrilling Days of Yesteryear & Radio Spirits: The Whistler, Mark of the Whistler, Voice of The Whistler
Heather Drain at Mondo Heather: 13 Frightened Girls! (1963) & Hullabaloo & Horror: A Tribute to William Castle
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Matinee (1993) A Cinematic Love Letter to the films of William Castle
Karen at Shadows and Satin: Mysterious Intruder (1946)
Kristina at Speakeasy: The Houston Story (1956)
Ray at Weird Flix: Slaves of Babylon (1953)
The Metzinger Sisters at Silver Scenes: Busy Bodies: Promoting Castle’s Camp” & The Films of William Castle!
Ivan G. Shreve at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear: The Chance of a Lifetime (1943) {Boston Blackie}
Goregirl's Dungeon:The Women of Castle
Brian Schuck at Films From Beyond The Time Barrier:Strait-Jacket (1964) ‘Mommie Dearest please put down that axe!”
Joey that’s me at The Last Drive In: Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949)
Rob Silvera at The Midnight Monster Show: Double feature Homicidal (1961) & House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Macabre (1958)
Goregirl’s Duneon– Goregirl’s Dungeon on YouTube: Alex North & Vic Mizzy‘
Steve Habrat at Anti Film School: Mr Sardonicus (1961)
Classic Movie Hub: The Busy Body (1967)
John LarRue at The Droid You’re Looking For: William Castle Gimmick Infographic
Paul Lambertson at Lasso the Movies: The Tingler (1959)
Goregirl's Dungeon: Favourite Five Series: William Castle
David Arrate at My Kind of Story/Images Masterson of Kansas (1954)
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Tribute to “The King of the Corn” William Castle
Scenes From The Morgue: Showcase of newspaper ads for William Castle films
Stacia at She Blogged By Night: Let’s Kill Uncle (1966)
Ruth- R.A Kerr at Silver Screenings: The Old Dark House (1963)
Ivan G. Shreve at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear: I Saw What You Did (1965)
Ray at Weird Flix: The Saracen Blade (1954)
Toby Roan at 50 Westerns: The Law vs Billy the Kid (1954)
Misty Layne at Cinema Schminema: Project X (1968)
Jenna Berry at Classic Movie Night: Ghost Story/Circle of Fear
Kristen at Journeys in Classic Film: Spine-Tingler: The William Castle Story
Joey at The Last Drive In: Back Story: What Ever Happened to William Castle’s Baby? (Rosemary’s Baby)
Jeff Kuykendall at Midnight Only: Bug (1975)
Gwen Kramer at Movies Silently: After the Silents: Chills! Thrills! William Castle Special!
David Arrate at My Kind of Story-Images: Shanks (1974) & Masterson of Kansas (1954)
The Nitrate Diva: When Strangers Marry (1944)
Dorian Tenore Bartilucci at Tales of the Easily Distracted: The Spirit is Willing (1967)
Vinnie Bartilucci at Tales of the Easily Distracted:Zotz! (1962)
Sam at Wonders in the Dark: Christopher Komeda’s Score, Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
We’re so thrilled to see you again. Even this guy is filled with exuberance can’t you tell!
It’s now three days since we’ve all got caught up in the ballyhoo, gimmickry, thrills and chills of the wonderful man that is William Castle! Today- I’m pleased (as Ruth at the house on haunted hill would say) as ‘Scotch and…’ to offer you these fabulous bloggers for your consideration…
So stay where you are… don’t go anywhere just yet
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures is going to get all Macabre (1958) on us also…
With great anticipation being a musician myself, I offer you ‘Goregirl’s Dungeon on YouTube: Alex North & Vic Mizzy‘
So–bring a knife, a strait-jacket and a gun over to Terri’s place at GOREGIRL’S DUNGEON where she’ll be hosting these fine folks!
Aurora at Once upon a screen… The Night Walker (’64)
Rich at Wide Screen World: Top 5 William Castle Gimmicks
Le at Critica Retro: Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven (’48) ‘Live Dreaming’
Furious Cinema: William Castle: Mad as Hell Movie Showman
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Favorite Things About… House on Haunted Hill
Forgotten Films: Macabre (’58)
Barry at Cinematic Catharsis: 13 Ghosts (’60)
Joey at The Last Drive In: House on Haunted Hill (’59) ‘Only the ghosts in this house are glad we’re here’
Goregirl’s Dungeon: Fun with GIFS: The William Castle Edition
David Arrate of My Kind of Story  It's a Small World (1950) ‘Image Gallery’
The Last Drive In– William Castle’s Villains & Victims! Scream-O Vision…
Ivan of Thrilling Days of Yesteryear) & Radio Spirits: The Whistler, Mark of the Whistler, Voice of The Whistler
Heather Drain at Mondo Heather: 13 Frightened Girls! (1963) & Hullabaloo & Horror: A Tribute to William Castle
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Matinee (1993) A Cinematic Love Letter to the films of William Castle
Karen at Shadows and Satin: Mysterious Intruder (1946)
Kristina at Speakeasy: The Houston Story (1956)
Ray at Weird Flix: Slaves of Babylon (1953)
The Metzinger Sisters at Silver Scenes: Busy Bodies: Promoting Castle’s Camp” & The Films of William Castle!
Ivan G. Shreve at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear: The Chance of a Lifetime (1943) {Boston Blackie}
Goregirl's Dungeon:The Women of Castle
Brian Schuck at Films From Beyond The Time Barrier:Strait-Jacket (1964) ‘Mommie Dearest please put down that axe!”
Joey that’s me at The Last Drive In: Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949)
Rob Silvera at The Midnight Monster Show: Double feature Homicidal (1961) & House on Haunted Hill (1959)
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures: Macabre (1958)
Goregirl’s Duneon– Goregirl’s Dungeon on YouTube: Alex North & Vic Mizzy‘
Steve Habrat at Anti Film School: Mr Sardonicus (1961)
Classic Movie Hub: The Busy Body (1967)
John LarRue at The Droid You’re Looking For: William Castle Gimmick Infographic
Paul Lambertson at Lasso the Movies: The Tingler (1959)
Goregirl's Dungeon: Favourite Five Series: William Castle
Lindsey at The Motion Pictures:Tribute
Scenes From The Morgue:Showcase of newspaper ads for William Castle films
Stacia at She Blogged By Night: Let’s Kill Uncle (1966)
Ruth- R.A Kerr at Silver Screenings: The Old Dark House (1963)
Ivan G. Shreve at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear: I Saw What You Did (1965)
Ray at Weird Flix: The Saracen Blade (1954)
Toby Roan at 50 Westerns: The Law vs Billy the Kid (1954)
Misty Layne at Cinema Schminema: Project X (1968)
Jenna Berry at Classic Movie Night: Ghost Story/Circle of Fear
Kristen at Journeys in Classic Film: Spine-Tingler: The William Castle Story
Joey at The Last Drive In: Back Story: What Ever Happened to William Castle’s Baby? (Rosemary’s Baby)
Jeff Kuykendall at Midnight Only: Bug (1975)
Gwen Kramer at Movies Silently: After the Silents: Chills! Thrills! William Castle Special!
David Arrate at My Kind of Story-Images: Shanks (1974) & Masterson of Kansas (1954)
The Nitrate Diva: When Strangers Marry (1944)
Dorian Tenore Bartilucci at Tales of the Easily Distracted: The Spirit is Willing (1967)
Vinnie Bartilucci at Tales of the Easily Distracted:Zotz! (1962)
Sam at Wonders in the Dark: Christopher Komeda’s Score, Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
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