Ready for some super-classic-horror flicks to get you in the mood for All Hallows Eve? Well step right up and enter the dark world of throw-back horror cinema.

First up for the appetizer we have the 1942 classic B horror flick The Mad Monster. In it Dr. Cameron experiments with a serum he has concocted and turns his sweet innocent gardener, Petro, into an evil homicidal wolf-man monster.

From the silent film era through the mid 1940′s the independent film studios were generally grouped together in an area of Hollywood known as “Poverty Row.” Directed by Sam Newfield and starring Johnny Downs, George Zucco, and Anne Nagel The Mad Monster is claimed to be the longest “Poverty Row” film ever made, weighing in at 77 minutes.  Typical of the low budget independents that came out during this period The Mad Monster often gets worked over by the critics. But I personally find it charming and a nice break from what the “Saw Generation” calls horror these days.

Enjoy!

Now taking the time machine back even further we enter the silent film era with the main course a 1922 Swedish/Danish silent Häxan (The Witches). Written and directed by Benjamin Christensen (who appears as an awesome Satan in the film for the first time at 25:57) this groundbreaking film was praised in its own countries of origin, but banned in the US (go figure) and faced heavy censorship in other countries.

The film is actually a very early documentary exploring how misunderstandings of mental illness and disease, coupled with a good dose of suspicion and hysteria could eventually lead to something like the European witch hunts. How striving to understand how disease and the body worked could be misinterpreted as the work of witches and the devil. How thinking something was true, believing it with all your heart, makes it in some ways manifest. Part 1 utilizes mostly pictures to tell the history and lay the groundwork for the later parts. Parts 2 to 7 resort mostly to live dramatic scenes to illustrate the story. This curious mixture of educational documentary and lurid dramatizations is sure to stay with you for a very long time.

The mechanical depiction of hell around 7:29 is incredibly striking. The sloppy and boorish man of the cloth suddenly lusting after the lady serving up his meals and chasing her around the table around 19:57 is good for a giggle. At around 31:11 is a super sweet bit of early stop motion action using some coins. Around 32:13 be sure to look for the brief appearance of a wonderful animated (clay animation?) creature. The flying witches scene starting around 50:58 is awesome and unbelievable considering when this was made. Part 4 alone has way too many good scenes to mention. The frolicking nuns in part 6..genius.

Häxan is definitely worth investing your time in watching in its entirety. Careful however, even though the film was made in the 1920′s it pulls no punches. For the same reasons it was censored–scenes involving slight-nudity, implied sex, and torture–you should exercise caution if you have somewhat delicate sensibilities. However, it being certainly mild in its depictions compared to today’s slash and snuff horror films, I think most will be fine with it.

(Oh and I must confess that rather than horrify me, whenever Satan made an entrance I was given to fits of giggles. That tongue action…hilarious!)

Enjoy this cautionary tale (if you can…muuuhahaha)!

This morning there is yet another spam Twitter trending topic. Sitting at number two is the topic #MrsSlocombesPussy. Yes my offensive meter went off and yes being human I was instantly curious what the topic was about. Stupid childish spam no doubt, but I thought I’d check. So I clicked on the trending topic, but no results were found.

Hm strange. So I switched over to Tweetdeck and tried the search there. Same result, which is to say nada in the results department. Outside search applications, that are drawing their data from outside search come up empty also.

Which brings me to a curious place. Intellectually I feel like perhaps I should appreciate the blocking of “offensive spam”. But my honest gut reaction is alarm. My censorship alarm bells are pealing away in my head. Yes, sure this is unwanted spam “But what about other topics that might be controversial or ‘offensive‘ to some becoming censored also?” my brain is excitedly and nervously asking.

It is likely an overreaction on my part. I have an intense knee jerk reaction to anything that smells to me like it could be censorship. Not sure where it comes from. Bohemian hippy parents? Some past life experience? Some run ins with idiot teachers in my past? Who knows. But I am left in the no mans land between appreciating that Twitter is taking an active role and that…well…gosh darn it…isn’t this censoring?!

What say you readers. Please comment below. I need some input here.

UPDATE

Apparently this particualr hashtag was  legitimate and started by Twitter user Jonathan Ross (@wossy).  It was started as a tribute to Molly Sugden who recently died.  Sugden was a comedic actress best known for her role as Mrs. Slocombe on the British comedy Are You Being Served.  The hashtag referred to one of the most popular episodes of the show ever (ah yes I remember this episode now):

You can see the original post here.

This certainly fuels the fires of my censorship concerns. Such a slippery slope.

(Updated info via this post at Techcrunch by @deputydOg in the comments)

Update..yes again

A Mashable post on the subject here.