Disc News: Spine Tingler! explores William Castle’s cinema magic

News

William Castle was an showman. The arrival of TV made people stay at home. Why should they pay money to see a horror flick when they can catch Frankenstein for free? Castle figured out that the best way to lure them down to the movie theater was a communal fun experience. He created gimmicks that made it interesting to be part of the audience. Spine Tingler: The William Castle Story! recounts his impact on cinema. Originally this feature length documentary was a bonus feature on The William Castle Film Collection. Now it’s been expanded with dozens of bonus features including his master class at USC. A bit of trivia is that the documentary’s composer Michael “The Millionaire” Cudahy scored $44,000 on Jeopardy. Unfortunately Ken Jennings made $48,000 that episode. Thus the Millionaire is the highest scoring loser in the game’s history. Where is his rematch? The DVD set comes out on June 21. Here’s the press release from Automat Pictures:


Press release:

CHILLS and THRILLS BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATION AWAIT YOU WITH
SPINE TINGLER!
The William Castle Story Special Edition DVD

WITNESS the life of a true, filmmaking genius’ climb up the Hollywood ladder!
MARVEL at over 5 hours of new, bonus features!
SQUEAL to the cinematic treasures available for the first time on this DVD!

Automat Pictures is proud to announce the special, stand-alone DVD Special Edition release of SPINE TINGLER! The William Castle Story, the multi-award winning “docu-tainment” directed by Jeffrey Schwarz. To celebrate this momentous release in epic William Castle fashion, Automat Pictures will unleash over FIVE hours of bonus features that have never, ever been seen anywhere before!! Destined to make any thrill-seeking, fiendish film lover GASP in delight, this must-have DVD will be available for the startlingly low-price of $19.95 on June 21, 2011.

“William Castle was a larger than life figure, so it’s only fitting that he gets a larger than life DVD,” says Jeffrey Schwarz, President and CEO of Automat Pictures. “I wanted to make sure Castle and the soon-to-be converted fans get plenty of BANG for their buck with this Special Edition release. And remember, everyone who buys this DVD might be insured by Lloyd’s of London for the possibility of death by fright!”

SPINE TINGLER! The William Castle Story
is BUZZING with NEW and electrifying BONUS features available only on this DVD, which include:

*NEW AUDIO COMMENTARY with producer/director Jeffrey Schwarz, editor Philip Harrison, composer Michael “The Millionaire” Cudahy, graphic designer Grant Nellessen with a special guest appearance from the GREAT beyond…William Castle!

* LARGER THAN LIFE: THE MAKING OF SPINE TINGLER! featurette

* INTERVIEW OUTTAKES! Over one hour of additional chats about William Castle’s life and impact with Bob Burns, Darryl Hickman, Terry Castle, John Waters, John Landis, Diane Baker, Roger Corman, Joe Dante, Stuart Gordon, John Badham, Marcel Marceau, Fred Olen Ray, Leonard Maltin and Forrest J. Ackerman!

* MASTER CLASS with WILLIAM CASTLE! An exclusive lecture given at the USC Film School in the Seventies, caught on tape!

* UNEARTHED, RARE FOOTAGE of the original THE TINGLER premiere in Texas, William Castle at the USA Film Festival and MORE!

* DEVILISHLY DELIGHTFUL VIDEO capturing the BALLYHOO of SPINE TINGLER! See the film’s buzz from the AFIFest Red Carpet Premiere (with appearance by the Tingler!), a lively Q&A, promotional interviews and many MORE.

SPINE TINGLER! The William Castle Story chronicles the last great American showman, filmmaker William Castle, who mastered the art of the “ballyhoo;” the ability to create hype with gimmicks and publicity to win an audience. He became a brand name in movie horror with his outrageous audience participation gimmicks in the Fifties and Sixties by treating movie goers to “electrifying” and buzzing seats, flying skeletons with luminescent ghosts and even dispensing “life insurance” policies to delighted movie-goers who could die from fright, watching his films. His, is a rag-to-riches tale of a “LARGER than life” showman who climbed his way up the Hollywood ladder by reinventing himself as a modern P.T. Barnum; driven by a fear of failure and a longing to be respected among his peers.

Featuring footage from Castle’s films including 13 Ghosts, The Tingler and Strait Jacket with insightful, colorful interviews with a roster of filmmakers, fans of Castle including John Waters, Joe Dante, John Landis, Stuart Gordon and more, SPINE TINGLER! is a loving journey exploring the life of a man’s desire to connect with his audience with interactive, bone-chilling and over-the-top entertainment! The audience-pleasing film has played film festivals around the world and has won awards for Best Documentary at multiple festivals including AFI Fest and Screamfest LA.

And for fans of Michael “The Millionaire” Cudahy of Combustible Edison fame, make sure to pick up the jazzy, cocktail infused SPINE TINGLER! soundtrack available on iTunes and Amazon

SPINE TINGLER! The William Castle Story Special Edition DVD
Featuring John Waters, John Landis, Terry Castle, Diane Baker, Roger Corman & more!
Directed by Jeffrey Schwarz, 2007, Run Time: 82 min., Color, NTSC –
Region 1, English, Stereo 2.0, 5.1 Stereo, 1 disc, Unrated, Studio: Automat Pictures
Price: $19.95, Street date: June 21, 2011
Available at Amazon.com

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.