NEW FEATURE!

Another new feature begins this month here at HTM-a little item we like to call "Used Book Reviews". The idea is, we don't want to review new horror releases as there's simply way too much material to cover meaningfully, but we love to pick up old horror anthologies that can still sometimes be found in little shops here and there, and we suppose you feel the same?

So we look 'em over, and give you the results of our perusals-then if you spot a copy and it fills a niche in your collection, you know whether it's worth the $8.00 or whatever...and you can always say you saw it here first, at Horror Tales Monthly-your favourite online horror magazine in the old style. Right?

So, go on-check this space for the new feature! Cheers, Horror fans...

Your Editor

Honoured: CHRISTOPHER LEE CBE

Noted film actor Christopher Lee, who acheived strong identification with the role of Count Dracula for his portrayal of Bram Stoker's classic Transylvanian undead villian in a string of stylish and lurid Hammer Films made at Pinewood Studios in England during the 1960s and early 70s has been awarded by Queen Elizabeth II in her most recent list of honours.

Lee has been named Commmander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), the third of five levels of the Order of the British Empire. The two higher ranks are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) and Knight or Dame Commander (KBE or DBE). The two lower ranks are Officer (OBE) and Member (MBE). His award was made "For services to Drama and to Charity". Only the two highest ranks are considered a knighthood. The insignia of the CBE is a an enamelled badge worn from a neck ribbon, as pictured below.

This will work out well if Lee ever decides to revisit his Dracula characterization, since the dreaded Count often sports insignia of orders and decorations-now he can use his own...

HUGH B. CAVE: b. Chester, June 11, 1910

A belated birthday note-extremely prolific horror/suspense/adventure author Hugh Barnett Cave was born June 11th, 1910 in Chester, England and moved at an early age to Boston, Massachusetts. Cave had a lengthy and varied career and wrote hundreds of short stories for the pulps.

Note the authors listing on this classic pulp cover, at the lower right of the image.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_B._Cave

MAX SCHRECK: b. Berlin, June 11, 1879

His fiendishly frightening performance as Graf Orlock in F.W.Murnau's silent horror masterpiece Nosferatu earned Maximillian Schreck legendary status in horror film history. The movie was made without legal compensation to Dracula author Bram Stoker's estate-recognizing the obvious similiarity to his story, Stoker's widow filed an injunction to prevent the film's distribution in North America.


However, at least one bootleg print made it to these shores, and the film's iconic status was assured...fortuneately for fans of terror.

Viewing this film on television as a child with my older brother was a truly frightening and memorable experience; the film has been released often recently on DVD; I have a copy with a rather poor synth-pop music track which really spoils the effect.

http://eric.b.olsen.tripod.com/schreck.html

NEW FEATURE!

Starting this month, we will be adding new content to augment our original literature and artwork-notes and musings about the genre of horror literature and film, important dates and birthdays and other ghoulishly interesting tid-bits. Enjoy, spook lovers...