October 17, 2006
Frightening Films and the District's Dracula
Much as we hate to admit it, D.C. isn't known for being a particularly great Halloween town. When a list of the area's best Halloween events prominently features a concert at the Kennedy Center, it's pretty obvious that the true potential of the holiday is being wasted. Sure, there are good parties to be found, but as a city we don't even get any haunted public transportation. It's outrageous!
But there are a few wonderfully spooky Washington area events available, and right now none look more promising to us than the 2006 Spooky Movie Festival in Fairfax. Running from October 27-29, the festival will screen 30 films. Running times vary, but the ghoulishness should be consistent.
The movies aren't what's gotten us most excited about the event, though. The real highlight promises to be an appearance by Count Gore De Vol, the D.C. area's premiere horror host. The Count, who also did time as Captain 20 and helmed the local Bozo franchise for a while, hosted a regular program on channel 20 during the 70s and 80s, bringing schlocky thrills and low-rent charm to the area airwaves. He keeps up the tradition with a regularly updated website. And check out this tour of the Count's dungeon:
You can find lots more Count Gore clips over at Google Video, including a number of full-length shows.
I have to admit that the Count was a little before my time, but watching these charming clips still makes me sad for the passing of the era of local broadcasting that he represents. These days the only homegrown broadcasts we've got are the local news affiliates. And while their shows may be just as terrifying as anything Count Gore ever aired, we'd still prefer a return to the days when local TV was more blood-sucking than soul-sucking.
Image of Count Gore De Vol taken from his video sales pages. Go there and buy stuff!
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Dick Dyzell is a local LEGEND!
Shhhhh.... don't tell everyone about Captain 20! That is one of my litmus tests for native Washingtonians - only they will know about the Captian.
I have one other (which I won't reveal).
Oh Chef Combo! Howard Huge! I'm heading for nostalgia overload.
I remember when Captain 20 came to my school--biggest deal ever.
STILL got my Captain 20 Club Card! That and my Subgenius card guarantee me a seat on the evacuation saucers from Planet X. And Captain 20 made Captain Chesapeake look like a pile of puke. Moby the Sea Monster indeed!
Ah, to get hopped up on Pixie Stix again and watch hour after hour of Kimba the White Lion, Ultraman, Jonny Sokko's Flying Robot, Marine Boy, Land of the Lost, the Banana Splits (with Danger Island).
Uh, oh! Chango! Sleestaks! It's all coming back now, like a bad acid trip. And it's all your fault, Dick Dyzell!
Aw, c'mon Sligo -- don't hold out on us! For what it's worth, I grew up in Arlington, but as I mentioned I didn't have a chance to see Count Gore or Captain 20. I think I was just *barely* too young to remember them (I was born in 1980). Is your other test more universal?
I grew up with the Schocktoberfests of WPIX out of NYC. Is channel 20 the WPIX of DC (i.e. once had a quirky low budget charm until WB came and took away our Semi-Annual Superman marathons and the christmas yule log)?
CHEF COMBO was GOD! The Channel 20 gerbil races! Jeezus, what coolness, now lost to memory... And we all know Captain 20 could've destroyed Captain Chesapeake in a cage match...
As for haunted public transport, Bangor (Maine) has "the bat"... anything to do with the influence of local boy Stephen King? ehh...
now if someone could YouTube up some Jhoon Rhee commercials, my year will be made. "Call USA-1000, Jhoon Rhee means fight for right!!"
Here it is.
http://www.masterrhee.com/Video/VTS_01_P04.wmv
As a kid one of my friends was on "WOW!". He was a minor celebrity in school:)
I remember watching "Yor, Warrior from the Future" on Count Gore de Vol's show and it was interspersed with clips of him showing off "Eggbert, the High-Diving Egg" and some sort of weight-lifting tomato. The egg dove from too high and the tomato lifted a little more than he could bear, but I think that was the point. Good times.
"Kids, I'm not really flying...."
(I'd like to know what the other "test" is- knowledge of the Belmont commercial lyrics? "City Under Seige"? "Come Back Can"? "Irish Limey"? "Gaboon Viper"?)
Sligo...you are my hero. I am forever in your debt.
Well, it was "Nobody bothers me", but that cat's already out of the bag.
"Whatever you want
Whatever it is
Whatever you want
Think Belmont!"
Wait, let's not forget Mr. Ray's Hair Weave!
or waxie maxie's sledgehammer breaking records!
Mr. Ray's - that's a good one.
How about "AT ALL SIX MORTONS!!"
My effort:
aaaaat Chesapeake Bay, Sea-food House
get all the seafood... youcaneat!
BTW, the "I'm not really flying" spot is available on the Captain 20 website. Click here.
"or waxie maxie's sledgehammer breaking records!"
Heellllloooo, that was Kemp Mill Records ("Kemp Mill Records breaks its own record!! Thousands of records $5.99, $6.99, $7.99!!!) And let us not forget the long-departed Penguin Feather.
-"How about "AT ALL SIX MORTONS!!"
NOW THRU SUNDAY! Misses stadium coats- Five Dollars! Plus sizes- Six Dollars!
Also I submit:
-You should get a Bob Peck Chevy. Check with Peck, before you buy.
-Jerry's Ford makes it clear, LET THE COMPETITION BEWAAARE
-Did you hear...
Marlo's...
is having...
a sale.
Check...
This Sunday's...
circular...
for details.
Oh Tom, I used to work at Chesapeake Bay Seafood House. Thanks for bringing back all those repressed memories of drawn butter.
Go Gebco! Go Gebco!
i am shamed...
"Nobody bother me!"
"Nobody bother me, either!" [Kid winks forcefully.]
Monkeyrotica, you COMPLETE me! Those shows are the shows that defined my childhood. Had you mentioned Dark Shadows, I might have proposed.
"Giant robot, launch!"
Ah, good times.
Those goddamn Sheehy Ford barbershop quartet singers.
"-You should get a Bob Peck Chevy. Check with Peck, before you buy."
Actually, the longest running jingle was:
"Come to Chevy City, and check with Peck before you buy."
Best heard over a grainy film of Mr Peck himself juggling.
How about Family Furniture's mobster pitchmen? Or Joe Jacoby's famously grammatically incorrect projection-screen TV commercial?
And while we're on the subject of Channel 20, anyone remember those kid-oriented commercials they ran in the afternoons, like the one that had deep thoughts about that famous Seurat painting Sunday Afternoon on the Island of the Grand Jatte: "A dot, is a dot, is a dot." Or the one that warned against making prank phone calls that dramatized the subject with two nine year old girls droning into the phone: "We're going to get yoooooouu." Good times.
man, i laughed my tail off every single time Jacoby attempted to say "Theatrevision"
I remember baskets of hush puppies and popcorn shrimp on my birthday at Cheseapeake Bay Seafood House.
Spekaing of old Commercials:
At increasing volume: NATIONWIDE WAREHOUSE! NATIONWIDE WAREHOUSE! NATIONWIDE WAREHOUSE!
How about the horrible drag of Henry's Auto insurance?
Or the Cal Ripken Mind Eraser commericals?
Or even further back -"Wild World, the fun never stops!"
Oh televised memories.
OMG! I've been trying to explain the Jhoon Rhee commercials to my wife for years, thank you Sligo for the link.
Does anyone have a radio spot for Kemp Mill Records or know where I can find one?