FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ghastly Creatures and Graveyard Humor in AMERICAN SCARY A DOCUMENTARY FEATURING ZACHERLEY, VAMPIRA, GHOULARDI, SVENGOOLIE AND MORE Late Night TV Done Right on DVD February 17, 2009 LOS ANGELES, CA (January 15, 2009) – A nostalgic homage to the glory days of the late night horror shows, AMERICAN SCARY, features interviews and archival footage of the most famous hosts from the 1950s to present day. John E. Hudgens and Sandy Clark offer an affectionate tribute to horror show hosting, which will be available on DVD February 17, 2009 at an SRP of $19.95. The birth of TV horror in the late 1950s also marked the rise of a new American folk art form: horror show hosting. Before syndicated programming and cable were introduced, hosts of locally produced shows were a staple of television. Local programs, such as “Creature Features” and “Mystery Science Theatre 3000,” launched a spectacle of beloved kooky TV personalities, who will forever belong in the horror “crypt of fame” with their unforgettable farcical make-up, grimy costumes, grotesque props, and even freakishly altered bodies. AMERICAN SCARY features extensive interviews with both celebrity fans and the hosts themselves on the genre’s beginnings, the ups and downs of ‘60s and ‘70s, and modern revivals. AMERICAN SCARY is a wistful memento of that once significant local television programming and a yearning for its resurrection. AMERICAN SCARY premiered at the Hollywood Film Festival, and has played in multiple film festivals across the nation, including Austin Film Festival, Ohio Independent Film Festival, Longbaugh Film Festival, and others. SYNOPSIS: AMERICAN SCARY is a tribute to the popular hosts of the golden age of television. They transcended their local stations to become icons. Today, they continue to garner respect, admiration and fondness from fans all over the country. Across the nation, people remember their local hosts fondly: from Bob Wilkins and John Stanley in the San Francisco Bay area, Chicago’s Svengoolie, to Sir Cecil Creepe in Nashville. Follow this American art form from its glamorous beginnings, through repeated waves of popularity and get re-acquainted with those who are a part of television history, featuring interviews with the most notable, including: • ZACHERLEY (John Zacherle) began his horror hosting career in the late 1950’s in Philadelphia as "Roland" and became one of the most iconic nationally recognized figures in the genre. • GHOULARDI (Ernie Anderson) - anarchic hipster creation exploded on Cleveland television in the winter of 1962, and proceeded to excite and warp the minds of his fanatic followers until 1966. • VAMPIRA (Maila Nurmi) and her record small waist, was created from elements of Charles Addams cartoons, screen glamour queens and bondage magazines. Vampira was featured in many national magazines, including Life and Newsweek. For more bios and information please visit http://www.americanscary.com BASICS Price: $19.95 Street Date: 2/17/2009 Pre-order Date:1/6/2009 Languages: English Running Time: 92 mins Rating: Not Rated DVD cat # CLS1069 UPC # 881394106925 ISBN # 1-59587-102-0 Bonus Features: Audio Commentary, Original Pitch Reel, Bonus Interviews, Trailers, and More About Cinema Libre Studio: Cinema Libre Studio is a haven for independent filmmakers with views, offering one-stop shopping for production and distribution Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company is best known for distributing in theaters and on DVD films that shine a light on social issues including: Uncovered, Participant Productions’ Angels in the Dust, and ESPN’s Through the Fire. The company has recently finished production on a feature length documentary about poverty called, The End of Poverty?, coming to theatres in September 2009. For more information, please visit http://www.cinemalibrestudio.com. # # # For Editors, Producers and Web Masters: If you are interested in receiving a screener for review or story consideration, please contact gminiotaite@cinemalibrestudio.com Media Contacts: Beth Portello Giedre Miniotaite Cinema Libre Studio (81 349-8822 bportello@cinemalibrestudio.com gminiotaite@cinemalibrestudio.com AMERICAN SCARY trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjgDpAVovEs
Sounds awesome. I just wonder why Rich Koz (AKA Son of Svengoolie but now just Svengoolie) is not listed, at least from what I could see. Nevertheless, I think I need this.
You're welcome, guys! If I recall, Rich Koz is interviewed, or at least appears in, the documentary... I know that the original Svengoolie is -- and it's classic. It's a really nicely-produced love-letter to the entirety of Horror Hosts.
Here's a message from the documentary's researcher and adviser, Michael Monahan: "Writer Sandy Clark tried contacting Rich Koz numerous times, and got vague answers - mostly, 'If the station ok's it...' Basically, I think he was stalling because he had no sense that we were legit. He's dealt with a lot of crackpot 'film makers' over the years and probably thought we were just some local fan boys with a VHS camera or something. It's really too bad. Orignal Sven does talk about him though, which I'm glad of."
That's a shame, but I'm not surprised. I think 2 or 3 years ago at Flashback Weekend, there were guys filming him for a documentary on him that he said they had been working on for a bit. To the best of my knowledge, nothing ever came of it. Oh well. Still excited.
