5/10/2007

Is there a character in a horror movie who annoys the living heck out of you? This question came to mind while I was working on one of our upcoming Dracula series movies. In the particular film I’m screening, there is a local ne’er-do-well in the village of Vassaria whom the local constable says always seems to be in midst of any trouble that crops up in the village. His name is Steinmuth, although the way they say it, it almost sounds like “SteinMoo”- a kind of creepy little guy with a constant look of wide-eyed apprehension, raised eyebrows and all- with a slow monotone delivery that drives most people watching up a wall-if not just totally creeping them out! I seem to recall someone that I know absolutely hating the innkeeper’s wife- Una O’Connor- in the great 1933 classic “the Invisible Man”- just because of her constant shrieking throughout the movie! Actually, I think she’s very funny, and enjoy here very much in the film, as well as in “Bride of Frankenstein” (she’s the one who helps the Monster out of the soggy wreckage at the beginning of the film.) Yet, some people-at least one or two that I know- had their teeth set on edge every time Una would start wailing. Some characters have mannerisms that viewers can’t stand- for example, if I may switch programs to the beloved “Stooge-a-palooza”- one would think that one of the greatest menaces to civilization is –Joe Besser! Anytime we show a Stooge short featuring Besser as the third Stooge- or, heaven forbid, the show that’s ALL Joe shorts, aptly titled “Oh, No- It’s Joe!”- I get vitriolic e-mails demanding we never, ever, EVER show Joe again. They dislike his whining, his child-like delivery, and his major error of not being Curly or , at least, Shemp. Yet, every time I bring up how much viewers seem to dislike him, I’ll get a few e-mails defending him. Very few. Kind of reminds me of e-mails I received during our slew of Abbott and Costello repeats…I mean, “encore performances” …maybe by the third run, some viewers were fed up enough with Bud and Lou that they complained that they weren’t funny at all, Abbott was mean and of low moral fiber, and Costello would add bits of business that were obviously in there only to get a cheap laugh, and didn’t even fit the situation. Anyway, as I asked- is there a horror movie character that YOU can’t stand (besides me?) feel free to tell me about it- just e-mail me at svengoolie@wciu.com - let’s see if there are certain characters that are “Universally” hated- get it? Universal? Although we won’t limit it to that studio...