Posted on:
Jun 29th, 2012 By:
Anya99
Millicent Patrick poses with the head she designed of THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. Photo credit: Universal Pictures, 1954.
Silver Scream Spookshow Presents THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON in 3D (1954); Dir: Jack Arnold; Starring Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning and Ricou Browning; Sat. June 30; kids matinee at 1 PM (kids under 12 free & adults $7) and adult show at 10 PM(all tickets $12); All proceeds of today’s shows benefit Atlanta’s oldest running independent cinema, the nonprofit Plaza Theatre; Trailer here.
All the ladies know that the Creature from the Black Lagoon is the sexiest of the Universal monsters, but do you know why? We asked Professor Morte, the horror host with the most, and he didn’t hesitate to reveal the terrifying truth. His look was designed by a woman – Millicent Patrick.
For years, make-up artist Bud Westmore hoarded the credit and downplayed Millicent’s role, which went uncredited. Sadly when Universal considered sending the attractive Patrick out on a CREATURE promo tour as “The Beauty Who Created the Beast” in 1954, Westmore intervened and refused to hire her again, putting a stop to an effects career which also included the mutants in THIS ISLAND EARTH (1955), the masks in ABBOT AND COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1953), THE MOLE PEOPLE (1956) and the Xenomorph from IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953).
That Millicent was not one to toot her own horn and led a private life did not help in getting the word out about her talented achievements in SFX make-up. What we do know is that she was a strikingly attractive woman and a Disney-employed animator, that she appeared in more than 20 movies and 12 TV series, and she was married and divorced twice to actor George Tobias. She was born Mildred Elizabeth Fulvia di Rossi and may or may not have been an Italian baroness. The Screen Actors Guild has no date for her death and no address since the early 1980s.
Fun facts about The Gill-man suit:
It was made from airtight molded sponge rubber.
It cost $15,000.
The underwater suit was painted yellow to make it easier to see in dark water.
A rubber hose was used to feed air into the suit.
Editor’s note: There aren’t many articles about Millicent Patrick and her work on CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. Thanks to Horror Icon: Millicent Patrick by Mary Parker which appeared in the St. Louis Horror Movies Examiners for much of the material used in this piece. For more information, we’ve been told to dig up Filmfax, issue 100, or Famous Monsters of Filmland, #145.
Category: Tis the Season To Be... | Tags: 3D, Abbott and Costello meet dr jekyll and mr hyde, Bud Westmore, creature from the black lagoon, Disney, Famous Monsters of Filmland, Filmfax, George Tobias, gill-man, it came from outer space, Jack Arnold, Julie Adams, Millicent Patrick, Plaza Theatre, Professor Morte, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Ricou Browning, SFX makeup, Silver Scream Spookshow, The Mole People, This Island Earth, xenomorph
Posted on:
Jun 2nd, 2011 By:
Anya99
What’s more Retro than watching a classic horror movie at the drive-in? Lucky Atlantans will get that rare opportunity this Sunday June 5 when the annual ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MONSTER BASH invades the Starlight Six Drive-In, one of the country’s last remaining drive-in movie theaters. Even better, the eerie all-day extravaganza also features a frightening fantastic line-up of bands, a Miss Monster Bash contest, vendors of spooky merchandise, custom hearses and not just one but three Japanese horror classics, GODZILLA 2000 (1999), HOUSE (1977) and RINGU (1998). Gates open at 10 AM, live performances start at 2 PM, the movies roll from dusk into the wee hours of the morning, and for those who want to party all weekend, there’s even a Monster Bash Pre-Party on Saturday night (June 4) at the Star Bar with even more bands.
ATLRetro caught up with Shane Morton, the Silver Scream Spookshow‘s Ghost Host with the Most Professor Morte, musician (Super X-13/Gargantua/etc.), painter, tattoo artist, SFX artist, actor, all-around horror Renaissance man, and one of the mad masterminds behind ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MONSTER BASH for a scary sneak preview…
How did the ROCK ‘N’ ROLL MONSTER BASH get started?
Billy Messina, Ben Armstrong and Tim Dolph of Netherworld fame were the original mad scientists that brought this thing to life. Atlanta’s horror community deserves its own horror-themed DRIVE INVASION! they would always contact me for help in the rock ‘n’ roll dept. Billy and Ben are just too busy with netherworld—in my opinion, the greatest haunted house attraction in the world—so Tim, Jim Stacy [Starlight manager/ Palookaville mastermind/Greasepaint/AM Gold/etc.) and I took it over four years ago.
Professor Morte sings with the Silver Scream Spookshow band at Monster Bash 2009.
What’s the band line-up this year, and why should we be excited about it?
This is a great rockin’ line up this year with something for everybody! Spooky Partridge is a fun family band—[as in] Addams Family, ha!—that play a lot of punk covers along
LUST. Photo courtesy of Barb Hays.
with cute originals. The drummer is just a li’l kid, but he’s already one of the best in the city with all the stick spins and showmanship kicking already. It’s amazing to watch! Radio Cult is also a very visual band—almost like a fem-fronted ‘80s Van Halen! Big fun and way over the top! LUST needs no intro as they put on legendary and hilarious shows! [see ATLRetro’s Kool Kat interview with Barb Hays for more about LUST]. I love these gals like sisters, so it’s always a pleasure to have them on the bill. The Brimstones are New York City’s greatest spooky garage band. Trust me, when you see Justin’s Farfisa [organ] solos while in a headstand, you’ll know why they are so famous! Super X-13, ‘nuff said. This line-up of music is gonna tear your face off and rip up the pavement!
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Category: Kool Kat of the Week | Tags: 3D, 7 Stages, 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Addams Family, Adult Swim, AM Gold, Atlanta Zombie Apocalypse, Barb Hays, Barbilicious, Ben Armstrong, Billy Messina, Brimstones, Dear God No, Drive Invasion, drive-in, Gargantua, Godzilla, Godzilla 2000, Greasepaint, Haus Von Dracul, Hausu, horror, horror movies, House, Inframan, J-horror, Japanese monsters, Jim Stacy, Johnny Rej, kaiju eiga, Lust, Mastodon, Miss Monster Bash, Monster Bash Pre-Party, Netherworld, Orga, Palookaville, Plaza Theatre, Professor Morte, Radio Cult, Ray Harryhausen, Ringu, Rob Thompson, Robot Monster, Rock n Roll Monster Bash, Shane Morton, ShelterBox Japan, Silver Scream Spookshow, Smog Monster, Spooky Partridge, Star Bar, Starlight Drive-In, Super X-13, Tim Dolph, Toho Kingdom
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