June of every year brings what has become a semi-regular road trip for me over the past twenty odd years. I’m off to the Monster Bash in Mars, Pennsylvania for some classic monster fun. By classic monsters I’m referring to the stable of Universal Monsters, sci-fi wonders of the 50’s and by extension those that were gifted to us in the late 50’s and 60’s from Hammer Films. As a matter of fact this years “bash” has a decidedly Hammer flavor to it.
Sure I’ll drop a small fortune in the dealer room as I seem to every year and I’ll be bringing an item or two from my own poster/lobby card collection along to score an autograph from the selected stars of Hammer who are making appearances this year. Among the various guests, TV episodes and Three Stooges shorts, here are a list of the classic films that await me and though I won’t see every one of them I do have a few singled out on my dance card.
A Hammer favorite…..
I’ll look forward to revisiting this 1959 thriller.
Yeah, it’s a classic. The only thing missing this year will be the late Miss Julie Adams who was a frequent visitor to this festival.
New to me is this 1933 thriller that I’ll hope to sit in on.
Mexican Monster Movie Night brings a rare 1934 title.
Some Bob Hope fun to lighten the mood.
Remember the Falcon?
What’s a classic monster fest without Dear Boris?
A Laird Cregar classic is a sure thing.
A new movie at a classic monster fest? Seems like a good fit.
Don’t blink and miss the lab assistant in the Creature follow-up. Anyone know who I’m referring to?
A modern throwback that sounds like a worthy viewing.
Trembling alongside Bud and Lou…..
Sir Christopher terrorizes one of this year’s guests in this Hammer shocker.
Not sure how many of these I’ll be sitting in on but I’m likely to see more than half of them. One of the above images will be making the journey with me to score an autograph and maybe a photo op for yours truly.
I’ll be taking a few days off while at the fest but if anyone who drops by here is making the trip as well, please take the time to say hello and introduce yourself. I’ll be the guy walking around with some sort of Canada paraphernalia in the form of a jersey or a ballcap. Not sure you can make it? Click HERE for a look back at some of the past visits I’ve made to Monster Bash to wet your appetite since starting up Mike’s Take five plus years ago.
Wish me luck in my hunt for memorabilia to add to the vault here at Mike’s Take ……. and eh’, don’t forget to say Hi.
Mike's Take On the Movies 
Mike, I hope to meet you in person this weekend!
Hello Jeff.
Be a pleasure to say hello. I’m usually wearing a ball cap. Canada flag or blue jays, something like that or a Jays jersey. Maybe I should be buying a Raptor T-Shirt.
Have fun, Mike! Looks like I’m going to miss another one, but at least I can say, I’m getting CLOSER to being there (I’m in Michigan right now). And if you see Clint Eastwood trying to shove lab mice into his pocket, let me know.
That’s just a few hours away! Visiting or have you made a move? I’ll keep my eyes peeled for Clint. 🙂
I’m in Grand Rapids helping a friend pack up and move to AZ; if I didn’t have anything going on, and had free time on my hands, I’d be in/on Mars ASAP!
And I guess I could also visit the Toronto area, too…but only if I knew anyone there who liked watching movies, and had a big room stocked with movies to watch them in!
Heck you could have turned up in Toronto for the parade on Monday. Maybe catch a movie at the same time.
Damn, that would’ve been fun! But I leave this weekend to head back to Arizona…I guess I’ll have to save up and fly out when I can spend some time there. AND when the Maple Leafs are in town!
Love Hammer’s The Gorgon, highly underrated in my opinion. Looks like a good list, especially with Abbott & Costello and Karloff on the bill.
That looks like a mouth-watering selection of movies. I’m very envious and hope you have a great time, Mike.
Will do. I’ve always enjoyed this fest. It’s small and friendly. No crazy “con” lineups to contend with.
Have fun!
The Call Of Cthulhu sounds like it has some potential! :—)
Goodness gracious Mike. What a lineup of films, again. Can’t wait for the returning review. It always sounds like a perfect festival. Looks like a 13 hr flight into Mars and a thousand odd pounds overwise I’d be popping in for popcorn with the maple hatted one.
OOo I have The Lodger to watch very soon. The wolf lair will have to do but how amazing to be watching it on the big screen with fellow movie fans. Have big fun and I look forward to MTOTM report.
I’ll look forward to picking you up at the airport in Pittsburgh when you make the spaceflight. The Lodger is one of the great horror films of the 1940’s. Ahead of it’s time and Cregar is outstanding and probably deserving of an Oscar nomination but of course films like these never generated that kind of praise.