THE HORROR HALL OF FAME is the on screen title of this late night 90 minute broadcast on ABC's Wide World of Entertainment (subtitled A MONSTER SALUTE), a humorous but affectionate look back on classic monster movies from the silent era to the recent blockbuster "The Exorcist." Vincent Price couldn't have been a better choice to host, his pedigree with the AIP Poe series in the 1960s following on successes from previous decades like "The Invisible Man Returns," "House of Wax," and "House on Haunted Hill." Musical comedy veteran Bobby Van plays the growling hunchback, with Ivor Barry doing a bit as Murray Frankenstein, his long awaited Monster escaping before we get a chance to see it. The recent publication of "In Search of Dracula" finds author Raymond McNally discussing vampires and the reason why they cast no reflection in mirrors (being undead they have no soul). Most fascinating are the relaxed conversations with fellow thespians like John Astin, star of THE ADDAMS FAMILY, Frank Gorshin, discussing his impression of Boris Karloff (and Karloff's hilarious reaction to same), and Candy Clark, gorgeous starlet from "American Graffiti," graciously allowing herself to be transformed into an equally beautiful monster by esteemed makeup artist William Tuttle, whose first subject was Bela Lugosi himself for 1935's "Mark of the Vampire." Best of all is the appearance of frequent Price co-star John Carradine (though their first collaboration, 1940's "Brigham Young," not surprisingly goes unmentioned), long praised as one of cinema's finest Draculas, two old friends enjoying each other's company over tales of their favorite moments of monster cinema. Price's most recent production, "Madhouse," had not yet been released, and there are clips of silent classics like "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," "The Golem," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," and "The Phantom of the Opera," and more current titles "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave" (Christopher Lee pulling the stake out of his heart) and "Blacula." Some of the jokes are dated but it remains an often well informed look back at screen horror, and thankfully survives for all to enjoy in the 21st century.
