A haunting that feels like anything but, and a popcorn that might become a staple in the Nerdery™
Dave: So as not to end our campy horror streak, I chose House on Haunted Hill (1959), with horror movie stalwart Vincent Price in the lead role. I turned to Joe about a quarter of the way through and said "So, this is like a mash up of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Clue, right?" Vincent Price and Carol Ohmart had a marriage so toxic no amount of therapy would help, and the rest of the characters were so utterly boring they might as well have been wearing sandwich boards ("I'm the professor!" "I'm the athletic young guy!" "I'm the old drunk!" "I'm the other drunk!"). There were a few fun twists along the way, and Carol Ohmart, who gets second billing, has the breathy horror ingénue down pat, along with costumes that would not have been out of place in a stage revival of Aladdin. The film was hysterically campy, with a ton of thoroughly chewed scenery, but the end was disappointing. Perhaps I'm used to modern horror films that beat you over the head with the possible continued presence of ghosts to lay the groundwork for a possible sequel, but this film fizzled. Price laid out the (thoroughly improbable) murder plot for everyone and the drunk, nearly certifiable character closes the movie ranting about ghosts, just like he's done the entire film with absolutely no proof. (⭐️⭐️ ⭐️)
When Joe said this was "Sweet and Spicy popcorn or something," I expected sweet and spicy-hot, with cayenne or chipotle, like so many popcorns we've had before. But no! This was sweet popcorn with a bit of curry and it was addictive. I could've easily eaten half again the amount of popcorn that we had. Also, this popcorn is eerily similar to the popcorn I was planning to make next week. If they're too much alike, I vote we blame the painfully absent ghosts from House on Haunted Hill. They had so little to do in the film, it only makes sense they'd get bored and mess with our blog (⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2)
Joe: I saw the 1999 remake of this film when it was released in theaters, and I remember being really disturbed. Though this was filmed 40 years before its remake, I can see it having a similar effect on audiences from that time. To modern eyes, it's melodramatic and over-acted, but there's a lingering uneasiness that drapes itself across the proceedings. Some of the special effects are fairly impressive for the time period, and I particularly enjoyed wondering if there actually was something supernatural at the center of all the "action". However, the female character gasping, clutching-of-pearls, and constant screaming at every little bump comes across as horrifically sexist. Despite its era-specific shock value, there's not a whole lot to recommend here - but I did enjoy myself quite a bit. (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
Once again, the Popcorn Board proves itself the reigning champions of delicious popcorns. This recipe was so easy, and despite all the toppings finding their way to the bottom of the bowl, it was absolutely delicious. So friends, if you're looking for a delicious popcorn topping: 2 tablespoons brown sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons of the following: chili powder, cumin, and paprika (I did half smoked paprika, half sweet Hungarian paprika). Toss with popcorn and dig in. The only thing missing from the OG recipe is salt and butter, but that didn't stop me from adding some. This will definitely be a go-to for me (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)
Popcorn recipe from: Popcorn Board
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