This blog by

Tony Piazza

With Halloween coming up this coming Wednesday I thought this post would be appropriate. Get out the candied apples, spiced apple cider, and turn down the lights, so we can spend…

An Evening with that Master of Terror, Vincent Price! By Tony Piazza

When I worked a couple of days on the film Sideways (2004) I had an occasion to talk to one of the assistant directors. I had mentioned Vincent Price, and she immediately asked, what films did he make? That’s surprising for a person you’d expect to have been a film student. What happened to film history? Or even the drive of a student to learn everything about his/her trade? For my uninformed assistant director I dedicate this blog. If only she could read it!

San Francisco had a film festival during the 1980s and one of its venues was “An Evening with Vincent Price.” Excited at the prospect of getting to see this motion picture legend in person, I wasted no time in purchasing a couple of tickets- one for myself and one for my girlfriend. Following a dinner at a nice San Francisco restaurant, we headed with great excitement to the Palace of Fine Arts and the theater where the show was to take place. The event featured his talk, followed by a question and answer period, and then a short film which led to the screening of an Edgar Allan Poe movie that he’d made for American International Pictures. On the bill that evening was The Tomb of Ligeia (1964), directed by Roger Corman.

Vincent Price and Debra Paget. The Haunted Palace (1963).

Before the start of his talk he came out into he audience and personally greeted some of the crowd. I was surprised at how tall he was- well over six feet- and even before he spoke in his well-cultured voice, his presence commanded attention. He was very personable and instantly you could tell that the crowd loved him.

Roger Corman’s mighty three: Karloff, Lorre, and Price.

The program began a little late because of the number of people that wanted to press his hand, but after taking a seat he took us on a journey through his incredible career- stage, radio, films, and television with anecdotes regarding other actors along the way. He also shared stories concerning his love of art and cooking; Mr. Price was indeed a very educated, cultured, talented, well rounded individual (besides the fine actor that we have all seen up on the screen) and that all came across from his presence that evening on the stage.

Although I cannot remember everything that was said that night, the one comment he made that comes back to me when watching present day horror film entries is this: Mr. Price felt that films today reveal too much… that some things are better left to the imagination- that they are much more effective that way. I agree.

After finishing his talk he opened the floor for questions, and then introduced the “short” for the evening. It was a film made by an up and coming film student whom Mr. Price said we would be hearing a lot about in the years to come. The film was “Vincent”- a stop frame animation tribute to Mr. Price (which he did the narration) and its’ creator was Tim Burton!

Director Tim Burton. Vincent was his tribute to Price.

After the “short”, the film was run to the enjoyment of us all, and then the program ended.

It was a wonderful experience sharing the evening with such a talented man- and looking back, even more so, since he is a personality which we will never see the likes of again.

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To read more celebrity stories, see my website: http://www.authortonypiazza.com/

Tony Piazza is author of the 1930s Hollywood murder mystery novel, “Anything Short of Murder,” which had its roots on the TCM fan website. His next novel, “The Curse of the Crimson Dragon” was released early 2012 and is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites. He was an actor/extra during the 1970s and worked with such legends as Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, and Karl Malden. His non-fiction e-book “Bullitt Points” is an in depth look at the making of “Bullitt” from a person who was there. Look for it where fine books are sold, or at the link posted below. All profits go to the Boys Republic charity: www.bullittpoints.com.

Frank Larnerd

I see dead people.

Correction, I used to see dead people.

Five nights a week, I would don my gray security uniform and aim my car for a tiny unassuming building on Charleston’s West Side. It was a sickly brown color, like bleached cat food. Surrounding the building was a ten foot fence and a half a dozen security cameras.

The other guard would let me in and I would set up my laptop for my midnight to eight am shift. After he left, I was alone. Just me and the dead.

Now it might not seem like it, but my job at the Medical Examiner’s Office was nearly perfect. I was basically paid to sit around and surf the Internet for eight hours. They didn’t care if you read, watched TV, or slept. As long as you were there to check in the bodies, they were happy.

The bodies, they never complained.

Sure it was creepy and it smelled horrible. The office combated the stench with air fresheners that operated on a timer. Every forty minutes they would crank out a blast of “Malibu Breeze,” or “Country Summer.” Mostly, they just scared the crap out of me.

They had trouble keeping guards, but I was determined, not to chicken out. After a while, I got used to it, or as used to it as anyone could. I started bring my lunch, even the sudden spray of air fresheners ceased to startle me.

I know it sounds crazy, but after three months, I started to sleep there.

It would be quiet most nights with long stretches without visits or phone calls. Some nights, there was nothing.

I had a little vinyl pillow, I borrowed from the kids. It was yellow with a mock cereal box printed on one side. The pillow fit perfectly in my backpack with my books and Ipod. Some nights, when the hours had stripped away my reserves and my eyes would grow heavy; I would rest my head on the desk and fall asleep.

I never had any problems. I would slip in my headphones and crash out. A half an hour later, I would pop back up, feeling slightly refreshed and ready to finish my shift. Because I’m an extremely light sleeper, I never worried about missing a call or hearing the buzz of the gate.

One night, laid my head down, ready to get a few winks in. I must not have been very deep in sleep, because the dream over took me before I knew it.

I wasn’t lying on the kid’s vinyl pillow anymore. My head was resting on a body. I could feel the cold plastic body bag against my face and when I turned my head, I could see the faint outline of a woman’s face, all adorned with makeup, through the thin plastic.

Her face was lovely – like looking through an opaque glass, I could make out her smoky-colored eyelids, the supple curve of her cheeks, and her full dark lips.

I remember feeling confused and ashamed at my situation, and then she opened her eyes.

I shot straight up. I was panicked and struggled for breath. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to recognize my surroundings.

Some people might never been able to sleep there again, but not me.

As a teen, I had read that the high levels of potassium in bananas could induce nightmares. I thought I could harness the nightmares for new story ideas. Every night before bed, I tried eating two or three bananas, but the nightmares never came.

Nightmares – like good story ideas can’t be forced. They sneak up on you while you shower, or wait in an empty parking lot. The good ones frighten you and leave their impression long after you’ve awoken. So when they come, be ready for them. Don’t push them aside with your morning cup of coffee, wrangle them and put them to work.

What was your best nightmare about?

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