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Prompted by the massive success of the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows, ABC released dozens of thrillers and horror movies under their Movie of the Week banner between 1969 and 1975. Starting in 1973, the network branched out into late-night programming intended to compete with talk show king Johnny Carson over on NBC, and the five feature-length telefilms collected as The Classic Ghosts by Kino Cult originally aired in that slot.

These telefilms were shot live on two-inch tape in a manner akin to daytime dramas, which does lead to the occasional flubbed line of dialogue. Furthering the comparison, two of the movies were directed by Lela Swift, who helmed over half of Dark Shadows’s approximately 1,200 episodes. Gloria Monty, who directed two others, went on to radically reshape the floundering soap General Hospital in the late ’70s. It’s notable that the creative team behind the telefilms were mostly women. Besides directors Swift and Monty,...

Airing as part of ABC’s Wide World of Mystery in 1973, five-part horror series The Classic Ghosts has been rescued from obscurity for a Blu-ray release on October 29.

Bloody Disgusting is teaming up with Kino Lorber to give away three copies of the Blu-ray set.

Click here to enter!

This contest is open to US residents only. One entry permitted per address. Three winners will be drawn on October 29.

Produced by broadcast pioneer Jacqueline Babbin, The Classic Ghosts has been preserved by the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

“The Haunting of Rosalind” (65 min) is directed by Lela Swift, based on a story by Henry James. Pamela Payton-Wright, Susan Sarandon, Beatrice Straight, and Frank Converse star.

“The Screaming Skull” (67 min) is directed by Gloria Monty, based on a story by Francis Marion Crawford. David McCallum, Vince Gardenia, and Carrie Nye star.

“The Deadly Visitor” (66 min) is directed by Lela Swift, based...

Late-night horror series The Classic Ghosts has rarely been seen since airing on ABC’s Wide World of Mystery in 1973, but that’s about to change.

The UCLA Film & Television Archive has preserved all five installments, coming to Blu-ray on October 29 via Kino Lorber’s Kino Cult line. Watch the exclusive trailer below.

Produced by broadcast pioneer Jacqueline Babbin, The Classic Ghosts was celebrated upon its debut for being made by a predominantly female crew, including trailblazing television directors Gloria Monty (General Hospital) and Lela Swift (Studio One).

Shot on videotape in the style of a soap opera, with expressive and colorful production design, The Classic Ghosts has an immediacy and otherworldliness akin to Dark Shadows — not surprising since two of the directors (Swift and Henry Kaplan) directed hundreds of episodes of the classic horror TV series.

The two-disc set includes interviews with Mark Quigley (John H. Mitchell Television...

Horror crosses over with science fiction and fantasy in all kinds of ways, from speculative surveillance to monsters with a taste for human flesh. Here are our picks for the best new horror books to bet on in August 2022.

The Wild Hunt by Emma Seckel

Type: Novel

Publisher: Tin House Books

Release date: August 2

Den of Geek says: This dark historical fantasy draws on cryptid lore for the story of a town besieged by haunting bird spirits. It could be perfect for a hint of Halloween in the summertime.

Publisher’s summary: The islanders have only three rules: don’t stick your nose where it’s not wanted, don’t mention the war, and never let your guard down during October.

Leigh Welles has not set foot on the island in years, but when she finds herself called home from life on the Scottish mainland by her father’s unexpected death,...

The Victorian era, which saw a surge in literary realism, also witnessed a growing fascination—maybe obsession—with spiritualism. Ghost stories and accounts of hauntings were hugely popular, especially around a Christmas fire. Several authors, including M.R. James, F. Marion Crawford, and Edith Wharton, contributed to its popularity. Most of these tales revolve around some anonymous narrator encountering the supernatural—good for nothing but a nice chill and moment of fear. Irish author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu sets himself apart by summoning his spirits through psychology, even if his version of it is often backwards.

Like the anecdotal, often epistolary stories of M.R. James, many of Le Fanu’s tales read as true hauntings written in an analytical or reminiscent style from the perspective of a witness. “An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street” or “An Authentic Narrative of a Haunted House” are, as they sound, entertaining reports.

As they plan for next year’s wedding, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been making themselves comfortable in the perfect starter home: Nottingham Cottage.

It was at the 1,300-square-foot, two-bedroom home in the compound of Kensington Palace that they were cooking roast chicken when Harry got down on one knee and formally asked Meghan to marry him.

And it was there, this time last year, that they spent the holiday season together, heading out to Battersea, just across the River Thames, to buy their first Christmas tree so they could mark the holidays in style.

By royal standards, it is a relatively humble abode.

Since it’s October and the Halloween season is upon us, I thought it’d be fun to talk about some of my favorite horror films that come from the 1950s. There’s a certain charm about these old-school movies that I absolutely love. I especially enjoy watching them during Halloween with friends and family. I thought I’d recommend a few of my favorites to you over the next couple of weeks. You may have seen some of these films that I talk about, but if you haven’t, you really need to check them out! If you have, you can talk about them in the comments section below.

When I was growing up, I watched every horror movie I could get my hands on and I was introduced to some of the classics by my dad. I remember one day he found a VHS copy of a 1958 film called The Screaming Skull,...

It's the royals, but not as we know them. As part of the Royal Childhood exhibition opening at Buckingham Palace on Saturday, Queen Elizabeth II has allowed family home video footage to be released for public viewing - most of the stills and videos have never been seen before. In one grainy video, Princess Elizabeth can be seen catapulting her little sister Princess Margaret in the air with glee as the pair enjoy a giggly ride on a traditional seesaw in their garden. Another highlight is seeing the Queen Mother (the Queen at the time the film was shot in...