September 30, 1967 Schedule: "The Man They Could Not Hang" (1939) 11:45PM

Bob Wilkins showed a Boris Karloff classicfrom the golden years though not from Universal but rather Columbia Pictures. Boris Karloff plays a doctor obsessed with bringing back the dead to life. He is arrested, convicted and sentenced to hang. He vows revenge on the judge, jury and the D.A. An assistant takes claim to the body and brings him back to life. Now he will seek revenge! A very good crime oriented horror film.

September 23, 1967 Schedule: "Rocket To The Moon" 11:30PM

Bob Wilkins presented a first run surprisingly. ROCKET TO THE MOON (1967) starring Burl Ives and Troy Donahue and directed by Don sharp (Kiss Of The Vampire) is a sci fi comedy about Phineas T. Barnum and friends finance a trip to the moon but the plan is doomed because of money problems and spies. According to IMDB (which isn't 100% accurate) this movie was released on June 21, 1967. It was probably released direct to TV.

September 16, 1967 Schedule: "Atragon" 11:30PM

Bob Wilkins presented the Toho/AIP Sci Si movie ATRAGRON (1963). Atragon is the name of a japanese sub battling aliens. Media Blasters released an excellent DVD in its OAR of 2.35:1

I'm Back From My Montana trip!

Well I am back from my Montana trip. I had a lot of fun. Still a bit tired. I went from Pacific Time to Mountain Time to back to Pacific Time. I hope to get back in the groove of things. I need to update this blog. I still need to add Bob Wilkins KCRA program Schedules of September 16 and 23, 1967 as well as a review of the new Captain Cosmic DVD. LATER!!!!!

A Brief Hiatus From This Blog!

I will be taking a hiatus from my blog. I am taking a long deserved trip to Montana. When I return next week, I will post both the September 16 and September 23 KCRA program schedules. You can probably see the tired look on my face at work baking all day long. This is definately a long deserved vacation! I also will be doing a review of the new Captain Cosmic DVD I recently recieved from Scott Moon and Tom Wrysch of http://www.bobwilkins.net/ See everyone next week!

Bava-licious

It has just been a week of Mario Bava heaven. Last week, I got my Mario Bava Book from Tim Lucas, and now I hear another box set of Mario Bava films are on their way (October 23) from Anchor Bay Entertainment/Starz Home Entertainment. The movies in the collection include "Lisa And The Devil" and its reedited abomination (in my opinion), "House Of Exorcism", "Bay Of Blood", "Baron Blood", "Kidnapped", "Roy Colt and Winchester Jack", "Five Dolls For An August Moon" and "Four Times That Night". Despite being advertised as "8 Films By Mario Bava", There are actually 9 as they have also included "Rabid Dogs", The Bava film that was reedited into "Kidnapped". I highly recommend everyone buy this box set. It will retail at $49.98, but can be bought cheaper at various sources like Amazon. As for that wonderful Bava Book, it took me almost 4 hours to just scan through the whole book, and I didn't even read it, just looked at the photos! Wow! Wonderful Job Tim!

Bob Wilkins First Full Year At KCRA

Well, I have listed Bob Wilkins first year of program schedules at KCRA Channel 3. His first show was on September 10, 1966 with the double feature of "Attack Of The Mushroom People" and "Attack Of The Giant Leeches". Seven Arts Theatre, as it was called, had many highs (Curse Of The Demon, The Tingler, Black Sabbath) to even more lows (The Killer Shrews, The Screaming Skull, Viking Woman and The Sea Serpent, Monster From The Surf, The Atomic Man). And there are many more years to go. I plan to eventually add Bob's KTVU's Creature Features schedules as well as his KTXL TV 40 ones. As you can tell, I am trying to keep improving this blog. I plan to continue to report on related material like Cult/Horror/SciFi Movies, DVD's Books and more.

September 9, 1967 Schedule: "Black Sabbath" (1964) 11:15PM

Wow Lots and Lots of Mario Bava here on my Bob Wilkins Blog. Last week, it was "Black Sunday" and now it is my personal favorite "Black Sabbath" (1963). This was Bob's second showing of this classic. He first showed it on KCRA Channel 3 on February 25, 1967. The first time I watched Black Sabbath was on Bob's KTXL TV 40 Saturday Night Show. In fact this was my first Mario Bava film that I ever watched and it is still my all time favorite ( Black Sunday being my second favorite Bava Movie). Boris Karloff really spooked me in that episode of "The Wurdulak". I might be wrong, but I think this was Boris Karloff's only vampire movie? (correct me if I am wrong?) In 2000, Image Entertainment released it in the Italian Version, which had the segments in different order (Italian Version: 1: The Telephone, 2: The Wurdulak, 3: The Drop Of Water. AIP English Dubbed Version: 1: The Drop Of Water, 2: The Telephone, 3: The Wurdulak). Personally I like the Boris Karloff episode ending the movie. Also AIP altered The Telephone episode by eliminating the lesbian subplot and removing scenes and changing the dialogue. Also in the Italian Version was an ingenious comic coda at the end. AIP also dropped Roberto Nicolosi's effective music score with that of Les Baxter. This movie has had several video releases. The AIP version was released on VHS by both "Thorn-EMI HBO as well as United Home Video ( A subsidiary of VCI). Image Entertainment also released the Thorn-EMI HBO Version on Laserdisc with another AIP chiller "Queen Of Blood". On DVD, only the Italian Version was released legit, first in 2000 by Image Entertainment and in 2007 by Anchor Bay Entertainment. I personally prefer the Anchor Bay version as the color is brighter and there are more extras including a Tim Lucas Audio Commentary. Originally, it was announced that the AIP English Dub was also included but was not. Too bad, as you miss Boris Karloff's wonderful voice. I have a grey market bootleg with liner notes by Blackbeard :-) The cover is interesting, It has the cover of the AIP poster with a headless horseman holding a head, and it slightly mimics the Image DVD cover. On both it says "The Mario Bava Collection" while on the bottom of the Image cover says "Widescreen European Version" while the bootleg says "Fullscreen American Version". This bootleg was derived from the Image/HBO Laserdisc. The information in the back says this: "BLACK SABBATH 000004DVD, Program Content: probably copyright 2003 MGM, Liner Notes: copyright Blackbeard, DVD Package Design: originally copyrighted MM Image(modified copyright MMIII), DVD-R format, Thanks to Image, Orion, & HBO for the original LD." Interesting to say the least. In my opinion, the picture quality is great for a bootleg. At least they dubbed it from a Laserdisc rather than VHS, so you wouldn't have the tracking lines. Let's hope that MGM or some other company will release a legit widescreen version of the AIP cut! Between this as well as Tim Lucas wonderful book, MARIO BAVA ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, it is a lot of Bava. Also, I made some changes to my blog. I now list the title of the movie as well as its starting time at the very top. Easier for researchers in my opinion. This has been Bob Wilkins full year at KCRA Channel 3. His first show was on KCRA on September 10, 1966. Ialso need to acknowlege Tim Lucas as I reference the Black sabbath info from the Image DVD liner notes. Tim is the leading Mario Bava Expert!

Such A Beauty Of A Book!

Well, I just got my Bava Book today. If you ask me, what Bava Book? I would tell you, the new one written by Tim Lucas, who publishes "Video Watchdog" Magazine, which I highly recommend. Back to the book, it is titled "Mario Bava All The Colors Of The Dark". It is Hardcover, Clothbound, Gold Stamping On Front And Spine, 1128 Glossy Full Color Pages and it weighs an incredible 12 POUNDS!! It is well worth buying! I preordered it at $130, but it now cost $260, but again despite the higher price, it is still worth buying!!! If you were a fan of such Mario Bava movies like "Black Sunday", Black Sabbath" and "The Evil Eye", that were shown on Bob Wilkins Saturday Night Horror Show on KCRA Channel 3 (and later on KTVU 2 and KTXL 40) Sacramento, then you will love this book. Order it from http://videowatchdog.com/bava/ . Also check out Tim's Mario Bava blog at http://bavabook.blogspot.com/

September 2, 1967 Schedule

On KCRA Channel 3 at 11:15PM, Bob Wilkins repeated the Mario Bava Classic "Black Sunday" (1960). Bob had shown it on October 29, 1966. This is an excellent movie and worth owning on DVD. It was recently released on DVD by Anchor Bay/Starz Home Entertainment as part of their excellent, "Mario Bava Collection Volume 1". It is almost identical to the Image Entertainment release of 1999 including an excellent audio commentary by Mario Bava expert, Tim Lucas. Personally I think both the picture and audio are superior on the Anchor Bay release. This is actually the English Dubbed International release and not the English Dubbed AIP release that was shown on Bob Wilkins Show.

August 26, 1966 Schedule

On Saturday Night at 11:15PM on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed another K. Gordon Murray Horror Import From South Of The Border: "World Of The Vampires" (1961) AKA "El Mundo De Los Vampiros". Very brief synopsis: "A piano made from skulls and bones has the power to destroy vampires". A very spooky atmospheric vampire movie. Highly recommended! Sad to report, but Casa Negra Entertainment had planned a special edition DVD with both English Dubbed Version as well as the original Spanish Language Version With Optional English Language Subtitles, but as earlier reported, Casa Negra is going out of business so this DVD is no more. Hopefully another company will pick up the void left by Casa Negra, and release those wonderful mexican horror films I remember watching on television!

One Year Anniversary!

Actually a little over a year. My first post was on August 20, 2006. And now I am up to 104 posts! I like to first off thank Scott Moon for permission to use his Bob Wilkins photos for my blog. If you haven't had a chance, check out his wonderful Bob Wilkins tribute site at http://www.bobwilkins.net/ . Also check out his other sites like http://www.planetxmagazine.com/ as well as http://www.scottmoon.net/ . I'd also like to thank a good friend I made from my blog, Perry Martin, who works as a DVD producer for the wonderful Anchor Bay Entertainment/Starz Home Entertainment. They produced the awesome "Mario Bava DVD Collection Box Set", that I highly recommend. Perry had appeared on one of Bob Wilkins shows back in 1971. He is another hardcore fan of Bob wilkins like me. I also like to thank my family for their support. I like to dedicate this site to my Dad, Floyd Perry, Sr. who passed away back on May 15, 2004. If he was still around, I think he would have supported me too. And finally thanks to all who reads my blog! In the beginning I thought I was alone, but was proved wrong! Thanks!...Floyd.

August 19, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night at 11:15PM on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed "Terror From The Year 5000" (1958). This is a repeat. Bob showed this movie on January 28, 1967. More repeats will continue, but at least the Bob Wilkins wraparound shows remain original.

Adios Casa Negra!

I'd like to say bye to a favorite video/dvd label. I have just heard that Casa Negra will soon be folding. Within the last 2 years, they have been releasing many of the Mexican genre fare like "The Vampire" and everyone's favorite, "The Brainiac". Many of these movies (via the great K. Gordon Murray) were shown on Bob Wilkins show on KCRA Channel 3 in the late 1960's. Casa Negra presented both the familiar English Dubbed Import as well as the original Spanish Language Edition with optional English Subtitles. Casa Negra, You Will Be Missed! :(

August 12, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night on KCRA Channel 3 at 11:15PM, Bob Wilkins showed "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" (1962). This is actually a repeat as Bob showed it on January 21, 1967. This show is very important as it is the oldest surviving segment of Bob Wilkins show available. It is available on Tom Wrysch's "The Bob Wilkins 3 DVD Set" on Disc 3 "The Sacramento Years" though ironically it has listed the wrong date on the box(They list 6/08/68 when it is supposed to be 8/12/67). This show segment has Bob's friend Harry Martin as a guest. I am so glad it is still around for everyone to see!

100TH POST!!!!

August 5, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night on KCRA Channel at Midnight, Bob Wilkins showed a mexican horror classic imported by the famous "K. Gordon Murray": "The Vampire's Coffin" (1958) starring German Robles. In Mexico it was known as "El Altaud Del Vampiro". "Graverobbers stumble upon the tomb of a vampire who turns them into zombies to do his bidding which is to stalk and capture beautiful women." A very classic movie similar to the Universal Classics of the 30's and 40's. It is available on DVD from "CasaNegra" in both original Spanish Language (With Optional English Subtitles) and the classic K. Gordon Murray English Dub. A very good buy!

Don't Be A Cheapskate! The Public Domain DVD Chronicles

Whenever I venture in my favorite video store or big boxstore and I am looking at the various DVD titles, I have noticed there were many of certain titles which have been issued by different video companies. Most of the titles are classics like "Night Of The Living Dead", or "White Zombie" or 'The Little Shop Of Horrors". But there are many new direct to DVD atrocities that make Ed Wood seem like Orson Welles. You can find these cheap DVD's anywhere from singles, Double Features as well as those multi mega packs with 20-50 movies. The video companies delivering this schlock include "Goodtimes Home Video", "Madacy Home Video", "Brentwood Video", "Mill Creek Entertainment, as well as "Alpha Video". The only plus about Alpha are the beautiful art on the covers. I only wished that the films on their DVD's were just as beautiful. Their prints are mangled, missing footage, fuzzy looking, altogether AWFUL! Retromedia is a mix bag. Operated by low budget filmmaker, Fred Olen Ray. Some titles are great (Like "The Deathmaster") to downright awful looking (Like "The Curse Of The Vampires"). But at least Retromedia has Extras that most budget labels have. There is a couple of labels like Mill Creek and Passport that have their "Watermarks/Logos" on the corner of the screen continuously. Now these P.D. companies aren't really new. They have actually been around since the dawn of the home video revolution. "Goodtimes Home Video" and "Video Treasures" were among the first. In those days, while most of the other major video labels offered prerecorded VHS movies from $39.95 to as high as $99.95, depending on the movie. The p.d. video companies offered their videos for a then affordable $14.95. To make them affordable, they recorded them in the dreaded SLP mode. There were times that they were recorded in the better LP mode, it still wasn't as good as SP. Goodtimes (founded in 1984) actually released most of their 80's VHS titles in LP. Most of the time, you spend 10-20 minutes just to track the movie (if your lucky). It wasn't until the DVD era, that you really realize how bad their film prints are since you don't have to track them anymore. It is funny though that I have seen some DVD's that seem to be mastered from video sources rather than film. Though thankfully gone today, Simitar Video was the worst offender of the budget labels. Most of today's budget dvd's average around $9.99 though there are so-called"Dollar DVD's" at Wal-Mart, Dollar Tree and Walgreen's, but you have heard the old saying: "You Get What You Pay For"! So remember, aviod, if possible, those cheap budget dvd's! They're just not worth it!

July 29, 1967 Schedule

On Saturday Night, July 29 at 11:45PM on KCRA Channel 3, Bob Wilkins showed the Roger Corman classic, "A Bucket Of Blood" starring Dick Miller. This is a repeat showing of the movie (last shown on October 1, 1966) though as with all of Bob's shows, they were still new. For a brief synopsis of this film, check out the "October 1, 1966" post. This movie is in the public domain, which means it is available by different DVD distributers though I highly recommend the "MGM" DVD of this title as it is derived from the original negative and looks the best.

Guilty Pleasure: "Pirahna" (1978)

This title is an example of the fish-terror genre at its cheesy best, with pirahnas attacking innocent swimmers. The movie is being screened @ midnight Saturday July 28 at Sacramento's "Crest Theatre", 1013 K Street, as part of its annual Trash Film Orgy. Come early to experience the "Miss Trash" competition. For more information, call (916) 44-CREST or go to their website at http://www.thecrest.com/ or check out Trash Orgy's website http://www.trashorgy.com/