Page 1 of 1

A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss (UK Minions)

PostPosted:Fri Oct 08, 2010 6:42 am
by S.A.M
I was watching the telly last night when I heard the theme tune from Halloween, instantly it has my attention, it was an advert for the BBC 4 programme; A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss. It looks really good.

BBC Four, Monday 11th October at 21:00.

Here is some info on the show found here along with a coupleof trailers;
Three-part series in which actor and writer Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen, Doctor Who, Sherlock) celebrates the greatest achievements of horror cinema.

A lifelong fan of the genre, Mark begins by exploring the golden age of Hollywood horror. From the late 1920s until the 1940s, a succession of classic pictures and unforgettable actors defined the horror genre - including The Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney, Dracula with Bela Lugosi, and Frankenstein starring Boris Karloff.

Mark explains just how daring and pioneering these films were, and why they still send a chill down the spine today. He also traces how horror pictures evolved during this period, becoming camp and subversive (The Old Dark House and Bride of Frankenstein, both directed by Englishman James Whale), dark and perverse (films like Freaks, which used disabled performers), before a final flourish with the psychological horror of RKO Pictures' films (Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie), which still influence directors today. However, by the early 1950s the monsters were facing their biggest threat - the rise of science fiction films in the post-war atomic era.

Along the way, Mark steps into some of the great sets from these classic films, hears first-hand accounts from Hollywood horror veterans, discovers Lon Chaney's head in a box and finds out why Bela Lugosi met his match in Golders Green.
Also there is a trailer here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00bggyl in which horror legends including John Carpenter, Roger Corman and George A. Romero explain what ‘horror’ means to them.

And finally a Q & A with Mark Gatiss
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vcwm7

I don't know if it will be any good but it sounds like it's worth watching :) It's on BBC Four, Monday 11th October at 21:00

PostPosted:Fri Oct 08, 2010 7:02 am
by zombombie
So an ad for that last night as well - set it to record instantly ;)

Looking forward to it, it looks very interesting...

PostPosted:Fri Oct 08, 2010 10:32 am
by purple1worm
Looks cool!!

PostPosted:Sun Oct 10, 2010 5:46 pm
by nosferatu
Thanks for the heads-up. Have just seen a trailer on tv for it too.

It looks a quality programme with some great interviews. Can't wait

PostPosted:Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:07 am
by monstermash
Defiantely watching this tonight followed by Bride Of Frankenstein, woohoo!
Good old BBC4, it gets slagged but I end up watching stuff on there all the time.

PostPosted:Tue Oct 19, 2010 3:15 pm
by S.A.M
It's been a fantastic series so far :D I'm looking forward to the final episode next week with John Carpenter and Halloween. I'm loving the horror season on BBC Four, most of the movies I've never seen before, they're ace!

Mark Gatiss's adaptation of HG Wells's The First Men in the Moon is on tonight at 21:00


Did anyone catch the trailer for the Psychoville Halloween special? I genuinely jumped up and shouted YES!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/psychoville/

At least there will be one thing worth watching on TV this Halloween.

PostPosted:Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:13 am
by monstermash
S.A.M wrote:It's been a fantastic series so far :D I'm looking forward to the final episode next week with John Carpenter and Halloween. I'm loving the horror season on BBC Four, most of the movies I've never seen before, they're ace!

Mark Gatiss's adaptation of HG Wells's The First Men in the Moon is on tonight at 21:00


Did anyone catch the trailer for the Psychoville Halloween special? I genuinely jumped up and shouted YES!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/psychoville/

At least there will be one thing worth watching on TV this Halloween.


S.A.M you and I are very much alike in tv tastes! I'm loving the series too. I watched Bride of Frankenstein and Brides of Dracula. I'm definately getting them on dvd, bloody fantastic. Looking forward to the Quatermass experiment tonight.
First Men on the Moon was pretty good too.
AND Psychoville, well what can I say, almost cried with excitement.
Finally some good horror tv in the month of October to get us in the mood. Thumbs up for bbc4!!! :D

PostPosted:Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:24 am
by nosferatu
This series has been phenomenal. Extremely crafted and insightful, It will make me look at some of these movies in a new way. Fabulous

Re: A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss (UK Minions)

PostPosted:Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:22 pm
by zombombie
I've heard that Mark Gattis is doing this again for European horror :D think it might even be airing this year!

Re: A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss (UK Minions)

PostPosted:Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:42 pm
by monstermash
Its funny I was going to start this topic up again yesterday. I was thinking Reece's bit on the radio would have made for good viewing. I do hope that Mr Gatiss does another programme along similar lines to the last. I will keep my evil eyes peeled! :twisted: