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PROFESSOR ABRAHAM SETRAKIAN'S VIRULENTLY VAMPIRIC, MALEVOLENTLY MONSTERIFFIC SUPER-STRAIN HALLOWEEN MOVIE QUIZ
In the weeks leading up to Halloween, your thoughts may have
already turned a degree or two more toward all things horrific—vampire bats,
werewolves, fiery, sharp-fanged jack-o’-lanterns being flung through the crisp
night air by headless horsemen, the lumbering undead, Donald Trump. But if they
have not, do let us here at SLIFR University help you along. If you have not
already been quizzed out by Mr. Dadier's recent questionnaire, then you may find yourself ready for further
testing in a horror vein.
And in that case, you are quite in luck. Our
esteemed Professor Van Helsing in the Occult Legends and Folklore Department
has commissioned a brand-new Halloween-handy quiz and handed the reins of its
administration over to one of his brightest, not-so-young proteges. Professor
Abraham Setrakian, a Romanian native, comes to us via the University of Vienna
where his work in the field of vampire mythology has been, Professor Van Helsing’s
efforts being the exception, unparalleled in its zeal and innovation. Nearly 50
years ago Professor Setrakian moved himself from the rarified locales of the
European continent to the United States in dogged pursuit of the villainous hordes
of the Master and the blasphemous text of the Occido Lumen. Setrakian believed, and still does believe, that the Lumen contains secrets which might lead to the defeat of his bloodthirsty foe, whose power to spread a biologically
based strain of vampirism by transforming humankind into shrieking vampires with
six-foot stinger tongues springing from their mouths, obedient only to him, is singularly
formidable and frightening indeed.
Given all that, how nice for Professor Setrakian to take a moment to quiz us on the horror genre during this Halloweenie time of year, yes? He has rather gruffly agreed to do so with only two conditions, both of which are completely in line with past SLIFR University policy.
He asks—no, demands—that in posting all answers in the comments field below you make sure that they are accompanied by the questions as well, so that all readers of your answers will know to what query you are responding.
Given all that, how nice for Professor Setrakian to take a moment to quiz us on the horror genre during this Halloweenie time of year, yes? He has rather gruffly agreed to do so with only two conditions, both of which are completely in line with past SLIFR University policy.
He asks—no, demands—that in posting all answers in the comments field below you make sure that they are accompanied by the questions as well, so that all readers of your answers will know to what query you are responding.
And finally, as do all SLIFR staff quiz administrators, Professor
Setrakian prefers you be as detailed and verbose in your responses as time will
allow—the longer you ramble, the more entertaining and illuminating your
answers are likely to be, and the more distraction you will provide the Master's munchers so that Setrakian may continue uninterrupted the rigorous business of photogenically dispatching them.
Compliance with these policies will go a long way toward assuring
that Professor Setrakian, known from his well-documented past at the University
of Vienna to be a harsh taskmaster, will feel no need to dole out his
particular and preferred style of punishment, one with which the Master’s
blood-slurping throng is well-familiar—a cold silver blade to the base of the
neck and the subsequent separation of skull from shoulder.
With all that in mind, let’s get #2 pencils in hand, sit up straight and
get started!
1) Edwige Fenech or Barbara Bouchet?
2) The horror movie you will stand up for when no one else will
3) Your favorite horror novel
4) Lionel Atwill or George Zucco?
5) Name a horror film which you feel either goes "too far" or, conversely, might have been better had been bolder
6) Let the Right One In or Let Me In?
7) Favorite horror film released by American International Pictures
8) Veronica Carlson or Barbara Shelley
9) Name the pinnacle of slasher movie kills, based on either gore quotient, level of cleverness or shock value
10) Dracula (1931; Tod Browning) or Dracula (1931; George Melford)?
11) Name a movie which may not strictly be thought of as a horror film which you think qualifies for inclusion in the category
12) The last horror movie you saw in a theater? On home video?
13) Can you think of a horror movie that works better as a home video experience than as a theatrical one?
14) Brad Dourif or Robert Englund?
15) At what moment did you realize you were a horror fan? Or what caused you to realize that you weren't?
16) The Thing with Two Heads or The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant?
17) Favorite giallo or giallo moment
18) Name a horror remake, either a character or an entire film, that you prefer over its original or more iconic incarnation. (Example: Frank Langella's Dracula/Dracula > Christopher Lee's Dracula/Dracula)
19) Your favorite director of horror films
20) Caroline Munro or Stephanie Beacham?
21) Best horror moment created specifically for TV
22) The Stephen King adaptation that works better as a movie than a book
23) Name the horror movie you most want to see but to this point never have
24) Andre Morell or Laurence Naismith?
25) Second-favorite horror film made in the 1980s
26) Tell us about your favorite TV horror host and the program showcasing horror classics over which he/she presided/presides
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13 comments:
Great Quiz and so soon after your last. A real Halloween treat. My answers are at the link:
http://bloody-terror.blogspot.ca/2015/10/professor-abraham-setrakians-virulently.html
1) Edwige Fenech or Barbara Bouchet?
Like anyone needs to ask. Edwige!
2) The horror movie you will stand up for when no one else will
RIGOR MORTIS. Beautiful, elegiac.
3) Your favorite horror novel
Actually a collection of short stories, THE BLOODY CHAMBER by Angela Carter.
4) Lionel Atwill or George Zucco?
From Wikipedia: "In 1942, he was indicted with perjury by a jury investigating the 1941 proceeding of a grand jury relative to the alleged occurrence of a sex orgy at his home." For that alone, Atwill wins.
5) Name a horror film which you feel either goes "too far" or, conversely, might have been better had been bolder
MANOS: HANDS OF FATE might have been improved by a little boldness.
6) Let the Right One In or Let Me In?
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN.
7) Favorite horror film released by American International Pictures
PIT AND THE PENDULUM.
8) Veronica Carlson or Barbara Shelley
Barbars Shelley.
9) Name the pinnacle of slasher movie kills, based on either gore quotient, level of cleverness or shock value
The reveal at the end of Mario Bava's FIVE DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON.
10) Dracula (1931; Tod Browning) or Dracula (1931; George Melford)?
Melford.
11) Name a movie which may not strictly be thought of as a horror film which you think qualifies for inclusion in the category
Sam Fuller's THE NAKED KISS. The monster is the most respectable person in appearance.
12) The last horror movie you saw in a theater? On home video?
In a theater: THE WARM COLOR OF YOUR BODY'S TEARS. At home: MANIAC, Elijah Wood version.
13) Can you think of a horror movie that works better as a home video experience than as a theatrical one?
Not specifically, though I resaw COMPANY OF WOLVES on cable and it clicked for me the way it did not theatrically.
14) Brad Dourif or Robert Englund?
Brad.
15) At what moment did you realize you were a horror fan? Or what caused you to realize that you weren't?
When I started picking up copies of Famous Monsters of Filmland, and CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF was the best movie I never saw.
16) The Thing with Two Heads or The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant?
I'm going to Thai one on with THE HEADLESS GHOST.
17) Favorite giallo or giallo moment
SUSPIRIA.
18) Name a horror remake, either a character or an entire film, that you prefer over its original or more iconic incarnation. (Example: Frank Langella's Dracula/Dracula > Christopher Lee's Dracula/Dracula)
I have somewhat more affection for Paul Schrader's CAT PEOPLE.
19) Your favorite director of horror films
Argento.
20) Caroline Munro or Stephanie Beacham?
Beacham, for THE NIGHTCOMERS.
21) Best horror moment created specifically for TV
"The Twilight Zone" Several moments.
22) The Stephen King adaptation that works better as a movie than a book
I've only read one novel, but I like John Carpenter's version of CHRISTINE.
23) Name the horror movie you most want to see but to this point never have
WEREWOLF OF LONDON starring Henry Hull.
24) Andre Morell or Laurence Naismith?
Morell.
25) Second-favorite horror film made in the 1980s
Argento's TENEBRE.
26) Tell us about your favorite TV horror host and the program showcasing horror classics over which he/she presided/presides
The closest I came was watching Elvira, but her films were hardly classic.
My answers have been posted, fittingly, on my horror blog at the following link: http://zombievamp.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-slifr-halloween-quiz.html
1) Edwige Fenech or Barbara Bouchet?
Edwige. I had no idea who she was till I googled, but I like the cut of her jib.
2) The horror movie you will stand up for when no one else will
Vampire’s Kiss. Yes, even so.
3) Your favorite horror novel
Haunting of Hill House, I suppose, and I really loved Ghost Story too. But you know all about those, so may I recommend Ancient Images by Ramsey Campbell, which partly revolves around a suppressed Karloff-Lugosi film from the thirties?
4) Lionel Atwill or George Zucco?
Take it away, Wikipedia: Zucco: “Kenneth Anger, in his 1988 book Hollywood Babylon II, claimed that Zucco died in a madhouse, convinced that he was being haunted by H.P. Lovecraft's creation Cthulhu, and that Zucco's wife and adult daughter committed suicide in response to the loss. This was dismissed by Mrs. Zucco herself in an interview in Filmfax magazine several years after Anger's book was published.” Atwill: “In 1942, he was indicted with perjury by a jury investigating the 1941 proceeding of a grand jury relative to the alleged occurrence of a sex orgy at his home.” They both gave exceptionally good value in every movie, no matter how crappy everything else was. Zucco was comic relief in a Thin Man movie, tho, so let’s say Zucco. I am sorry the great Donald Pleasence did not live long enough to star in The George Zucco Story. From a screenplay based on Kenneth Anger’s Cthulhu slander, and perhaps directed by him as well.
5) Name a horror film which you feel either goes "too far" or, conversely, might have been better had been bolder.
Not a film, but Emma Roberts getting sawed in half on American Horror Story: Freak Show was way too far for my taste. In the sense that it paid no dividends beyond getting me to go “ew.” If you’re going to gross me out, you should amaze me or scare me in the bargain.
6) Let the Right One In or Let Me In?
Yet another coin toss. Let’s give the edge to Let Me In for Richard Jenkins.
7) Favorite horror film released by American International Pictures
I Was a Teenage Werewolf.
8) Veronica Carlson or Barbara Shelley
Sorry girls, my heart belongs to Ingrid Pitt.
9) Name the pinnacle of slasher movie kills, based on either gore quotient, level of cleverness or shock value
Even though there is no slashing-qua-slashing involved, I am fond of the moment in the otherwise worthless Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan when a gallant young boxer buys his companions a few precious moments by attacking Jason mano-a-mano on a rooftop. Jason knocks his head off with one punch. The head lands in a dumpster. If you happened to be watching it on 42nd Street one summer day in 1989, you might have heard a young woman screaming at that moment from the back of the theater. Followed by a disgusted voice in the front of the theater inquiring, “Whats a matter witchoo? Haven’t you evah seen a movie befaw??”
10) Dracula (1931; Tod Browning) or Dracula (1931; George Melford)?
Well, I’ve only seen the Spanish version on YouTube and the answer to your unasked question, “What movie works better on YouTube than anywhere else?” is “None. Zip. Zero.” With that in mind: the Browning is wonderful from the opening right up to and including the moment where Dwight Frye is revealed cackling in the hold of the ship. After that it’s pretty stage bound. Dracula dies off screen, for cripes sake. The opening movements of the Spanish version aren’t quite as good as the Browning version, but the English scenes are way more fluid and the shots are better composed. If it were a matter of comparing this element to that corresponding element, it would be the Spanish version in a walk. But the Browning version is magic and the Spanish version just isn’t, aside from the incredibly hot Lupita Tovar (still alive at 105!) Here’s the Spanish version of Renfield’s first meeting with Dracula. The business with the bat leading into the reveal is great. And then—meh. Carlos Villarios lacks Bela’s otherworldly quality, and the Spanish Renfield ain’t no Dwight Frye. Browning wins.
Incidentally, I think the technique of two directors shooting the same script on the same sets with different actors, one by day and one by night, which is what was done here, is a great idea. One opens in theaters, one goes direct to DVD or On Demand. You get an Instant Gritty Reboot and you cut The Asylum off at the pass!
11) Name a movie which may not strictly be thought of as a horror film which you think qualifies for inclusion in the category
My Dinner with Andre.
12) The last horror movie you saw in a theater? On home video?
Theater: Maybe I saw the first Paranormal Activity movie in a theater. Home Video: A double bill of The Black Room and The Man They Could Not Hang.
13) Can you think of a horror movie that works better as a home video experience than as a theatrical one?
A lot of horror movies work better when you’re watching them home alone.
14) Brad Dourif or Robert Englund?
Brad. I’ve gone out of my way to see movies because he was in them.
15) At what moment did you realize you were a horror fan? Or what caused you to realize that you weren't?
Last time you asked, I said: ‘I was almost 6 when my mom bought me my first issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland. I know this because I kept it for years. It was issue 12, dated June 1961, with Oliver Reed in Curse of the Werewolf on the cover. I was already in love with monster movies, and with werewolves in particular.’
16) The Thing with Two Heads or The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant?
Incredible Two Headed Transplant. It would win for Bruce Dern alone, but also because it played at my local drive-in and cometh the dawn of the second day, the marquee read “The Incredible Two Teated ranspan”
17) Favorite giallo or giallo moment
I have to confess I like the idea of giallo a lot more than I like giallo, although I like the idea so much that I keep trying. I much prefer giallo influenced movies to the real deal, some favorites being The Strange Color of Your Body’s Tears and Berberian Sound Studio.
18) Name a horror remake, either a character or an entire film, that you prefer over its original or more iconic incarnation. (Example: Frank Langella's Dracula/Dracula > Christopher Lee's Dracula/Dracula)
Willem Dafoe’s Nosferatu / Shadow of the Vampire > Klaus Kinski’s Nosferatu / Nosferatu.
19) Your favorite director of horror films
I really dug the ‘house style’ of the Hannibal TV show, and the episodes directed by Tim Hunter in particular. Last time you asked this question or some variant of it I mentioned Robert Wise and Roman Polansky and James Whale, so consider them mentioned again. Although it’s only a one movie oeuvre so far, whatever Ana Lily Amirpour does next, I’ll see it. I loved A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.
20) Caroline Munro or Stephanie Beacham?
I’m going to go with Stephanie here.
21) Best horror moment created specifically for TV
From The Twilight Zone: The moment in “To Serve Man” when Susan Chambers yells, “Mr. Chambers, don't get on that ship! ‘To Serve Man,’ it's... it's a cookbook!” knocked me out as a ten year old and still remains an exceptionally satisfying twist.
22) The Stephen King adaptation that works better as a movie than a book
Algis Budrys pointed out decades ago that if you removed the horror elements from most of King’s books you would still have a satisfying book, in fact sometimes the best book of its kind—Christine is the great American novel about the now-vanished car culture, Cujo is surely the best look at how a small advertising agency runs, etc. King once said his strategy was (I’m paraphrasing, but I’ll use quotation marks anyway) “you write the Death of a Salesman or Grapes of Wrath as well as you can for 200 pages and then you add werewolves.” People who only know him from the movie adaptations would never guess any of this. So I would argue none of the movies are better than the books, with the exception of The Shining, which in a way turns the book on its head.
23) Name the horror movie you most want to see but to this point never have
I eventually caught up with Mad Love and The Alligator People after seeking them since childhood. Maybe Possession.
24) Andre Morell or Laurence Naismith?
Naismith, because he was the subject of a crucial question in the Trailers from Hell / SLATIFR trivia quiz. *A quiz whose winners were never publicly announced to the best of my knowledge, by the way.*
25) Second-favorite horror film made in the 1980s
The Howling. Or maybe The Stepfather.
26) Tell us about your favorite TV horror host and the program showcasing horror classics over which he/she presided/presides The only one I remember from my youth was Zacherly, who hosted Chiller Theatre on WPIX channel 11 and also a cartoon show. I have fond memories of some of the movies but Zacherly himself did not imprint himself upon my consciousness.
1) Edwige Fenech or Barbara Bouchet?
No answer.
2) The horror movie you will stand up for when no one else will
"House of 1,000 Corpses." I think this film is hilarious, stylish, and full of creativity. Zombie's directorial flair was in full flower his first time out, and the final third of the film is an oddly beautiful nightmare.
3) Your favorite horror novel
"The Haunting of Hill House"
4) Lionel Atwill or George Zucco?
no answer
5) Name a horror film which you feel either goes "too far" or, conversely, might have been better had been bolder
I think "Martyrs" goes too far, but then again that's kind of its point.
6) Let the Right One In or Let Me In?
Let Me In. The inclusion of the "Now or Later" jingle, horribly symbolic of the boy's fate, adds a serious chill.
7) Favorite horror film released by American International Pictures
no answer
8) Veronica Carlson or Barbara Shelley
no answer
9) Name the pinnacle of slasher movie kills, based on either gore quotient, level of cleverness or shock value
no answer
10) Dracula (1931; Tod Browning) or Dracula (1931; George Melford)?
no answer
11) Name a movie which may not strictly be thought of as a horror film which you think qualifies for inclusion in the category
The time travel thriller "Triangle," which becomes horrific when its full import is revealed.
12) The last horror movie you saw in a theater? On home video?
Crimson Peak in a theatre, We Are Still Here on video
13) Can you think of a horror movie that works better as a home video experience than as a theatrical one?
Listening to the commentary track from the killers' point of view in My Little Eye
14) Brad Dourif or Robert Englund?
Dourif
15) At what moment did you realize you were a horror fan? Or what caused you to realize that you weren't?
no answer
16) The Thing with Two Heads or The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant?
no answer
17) Favorite giallo or giallo moment
Deep Red
18) Name a horror remake, either a character or an entire film, that you prefer over its original or more iconic incarnation. (Example: Frank Langella's Dracula/Dracula > Christopher Lee's Dracula/Dracula)
The Dawn of the Dead remake. I don't prefer it, but I think it's just about equal.
19) Your favorite director of horror films
David Cronenberg
20) Caroline Munro or Stephanie Beacham?
no answer
21) Best horror moment created specifically for TV
Salem's Lot
22) The Stephen King adaptation that works better as a movie than a book
Christine
23) Name the horror movie you most want to see but to this point never have
no answer
24) Andre Morell or Laurence Naismith?
no answer
25) Second-favorite horror film made in the 1980s
Videodrome
26) Tell us about your favorite TV horror host and the program showcasing horror classics over which he/she presided/presides no answer
As always, love the quizzes. In the spirit of the season, I'm tackling this one first.
My answers are here
Thanks!
At least I won't be months late this time around, Dennis! As usual, I've posted my answers here:
http://le0pard13.com/2015/10/23/alert-the-cdc-its-a-halloween-slifr-movie-quiz/
Thank you, my friend.
Care of my friend Jack Deth, who left his answers in my comments:
Hi, Michael and Sergio:
Tough quiz!… But I expect no less:
#2: I’ll have to look up hardware. Though, I still lean towards Polanski’s ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ for a slowly, subtly, near elegant horror film. And the best definition of the director’s style. From 1968… And ‘The Tenant’ for overall creepiness, eight years later.
#3: Novel: ”Salem’s Lot’…. Infinitely readable, And re-readable. Novella(s): H.P. Lovecraft’s ‘The Call of Cthulhu’ and ‘The Color Out of Space’.
#4: Zucco had the style. While Atwill had the presence and sold it hard!
#5: An unpleasant little film from 1976. Titled ‘Who Can Kill A Child’. Or ‘Island of the Damned’. A couple pick the wrong Spanish island in the Med for their honeymoon. Deserted, but populated with packs of feral, homicidal kids. Definitely goes too far. Even though it kind of has to!
#9: ‘Psycho’. For being the grandfather of the genre. And its excess of cleverness. Play the audience like a violin. Martin Balsam. And its creepy ending.
#10: Browning;s ‘Dracula’. With a shout out to Murnau’s ‘Nostferatu’. For the director’s use of the audience’s mind and imagination in scaring them silly!
#11: Excellent choice in ‘Requiem..’, Michael… I’ll go with Michael Powell’s ‘Peeping Tom’. Which starts one way. Then veers off into creepy insanity.
#12: Dusk ’til Dawn early Cronenberg. With ‘Rabid’, ‘They Came From Within’ ‘Scanners’ and ‘The Brood’
#13: Theater: George A Romero’s original B&W ‘Night of the Living Dead’!
Home: ‘Carnival of Souls’… Alone. In the dark… Required viewing!
14: Neither… Jack Nicholson. For his yeomanry work in many early Roger Corman films!
#15: Murnau’s ‘Nosferatu’ at MD. University’s Student Union Building midnight showing in August, 1978. Just for the use of shadows and lack of gore. Also Frank Castle’s ‘The House on Haunted Hill’. For the silent old crow scene! And still wondering how it was done?!!
#16: I’ll go with ‘The Incredible Two Headed Transplant and Bruce Dern.
#18: ABC’s made for television, ‘Dracula’ with Frank Langella in 1979. Brought a whole new level of style, allure and sexy to the character.
#19: Low Budget: Herk Harvey, ‘Carnival of Souls’. Frank Castle, The Tingler’ and ‘The House on Haunted Hill’. David Cronenberg’s early work. And Roger Corman
for all getting the ultimate “Bang for the Buck!’ with very meager budgets!
#21: Yeah… What you said, Michael!
#22: Cronenberg’s ‘Dead Zone’. Who trimmed away just enough of King’s excess fat. And created an underplayed classic with Christopher Walken.
#23: I’ll check to the dealer and open with Mario Bava’s ‘Planet of the Vampires’.
Haven’t caught it, because ‘It! The Terror From Beyond Space’ is so much better!
#25: A little on-location gem which has gotten short shrift from 1981. ‘Wolfen’. With Albert Finney as a NYPD detective investigating what looks like animal attacks among the rich and famous movers and shakers of Wall Street and their lofty abodes.
#26: I was spoiled as a kid. With DC’s Channel 20’s, Sir Graves Ghastly and later, Count Gore DeVol (Who’s still alive and schticking on VA. Public Access TV).
Sir Graves had a great Basso Profundo voice. And favored Val Lewton and low budget B&W horror. While the Count went for more contrived, adult fare. Like ‘The Last of Sheila’, ‘Lady In A Cage’ and ‘Let’s Scare Jessica To Death’.
Really fun survey!
http://cinema-crazed.com/blog/2015/10/20/slifrs-professor-abraham-setrakians-virulently-vampiric-malevolently-monsteriffic-super-strain-halloween-movie-quiz/
Thank you again, Dennis; your questions never get old. I loved this one! Here’s my answers:
https://susiebright.ink/p/horror-movie-exam-there-will-be-blood
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