As Halloween Month swiftly draws to a close here is one of my final seasonal posts. I will examine silent film adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe’s works.
SHERLOCK HOLMES IN THE GREAT MURDER MYSTERY (1908) – Shamelessly, the Crescent Film Company of New York adapted Poe’s Murders in the Rue Morgue but replaced his master detective Auguste Dupin with Sherlock Holmes and the orangutan of the original story with a gorilla.
Actor William Kolle was in the starring role and an unknown actor portrayed Dr. Watson, supposedly the first time the sidekick was depicted on film. No copies of this short movie have survived but promotional materials have.
THE SEALED ROOM (1909) – Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado was adapted by film pioneer D.W. Griffith in this movie. Besides changing the title, Griffith altered the story to feature a philandering man and woman being walled up to die. Showing up in small parts during this 11-minute short were America’s future sweetheart Mary Pickford, and Mack Sennett, future comedy icon. Continue reading
AGAINST THE DARK (2009) – As Halloween night creeps ever closer, let’s take a look at the most atypical movie from Steven Seagal’s Down Years. Say what you will, but Against the Dark at least stands out among the Waddlin’ Warrior’s many direct to video turkeys during his Fat Elvis phase. 
Viewers are thrown right into the post-apocalypse setting. A disease has heavily reduced the global population. Many are dead but many more live on as violent predators who feed on the living.
### 1. GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS ### 2. BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS ### 3. KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS ### 4. MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS ### 5. DORDT UNIVERSITY DEFENDERS ### 
### 1. HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON ### 2. FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS ### 3. UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS ### 4. PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS ### 5. KUTZTOWN STATE GOLDEN BEARS ### 
PHANTASM – Don Coscarelli wrote and directed four of the five films in the Phantasm franchise but let David Hartman write and direct the last one in 2016. 
With this movie franchise Don Coscarelli forever changed the way we look at funeral homes. And funeral home directors. Actor Angus Scrimm (1926-2016) owned the role of the sinister mortician the Tall Man as surely as Robert Englund owns the role of Freddy Krueger. 
It’s a Monday current events roundup from 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER SIX – In the NAIA, the CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY PHOENIX welcomed the number 6 team in the nation – the CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS. The Phoenix led 3-0 in the 1st Quarter but trailed 10-6 by Halftime. The 4th Quarter started with the Tigers up 27-12 and ended in a magnificent 35-33 comeback win for Cumberland U. 
NUMBER EIGHT TAKES A FALL – Over in NCAA Division Two, the WAYNE STATE WILDCATS took the field against the visiting 8th ranked MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS. The Wildcats put their opponents on Upset Alert at the Half with their 19-7 advantage, then outscored them 16-13 after the break to win the game 35-20. 
AND ANOTHER NUMBER EIGHT COMES TUMBLING AFTER – Down in NCAA Division Three, the 9th ranked UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS played host to the number 8 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT PLATTEVILLE PIONEERS. The Warhawks led 14-3 at the midpoint, trailed 19-14 to end the 3rd Quarter, then won 29-19 in the 4th. 
Even if you hate Donald Trump I have no idea how you can possibly think he is worse than the corrupt white-collar criminals arrayed against him. 
Taibbi also stated “My discomfort in the last few years, first with Russiagate and now with Ukrainegate and impeachment, stems from the belief that the people pushing hardest for Trump’s early removal are more dangerous than Trump. Many Americans don’t see this because they’re not used to waking up in a country where you’re not sure who the president will be by nightfall. They don’t understand that this predicament is worse than having a bad president.”
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