Where I grew up The Plenty Scary Movie on Tulsa Oklahoma's Channel 8 (KTUL-TV) was the only regular source for old horror films. Trouble was, it came on Friday nights, at eleven-thirty which was past my bed time. So when this promo spot aired during my cartoons every afternoon, year after year, it produced in me a thirst for spooky films that I had to wait decades to quench (with the exception of the few times I was brave enough to sneak out of bed to watch). I believe that my repeated exposure to this single advertisement is one of the primary reasons that I was, and always will be a "monster kid." It constantly taunted me with something wonderful that was always just out of my reach, which is a dandy way to create an obsession.
By the time I was old enough to stay up past ten the show had been pulled from the schedule. As the years passed I found myself growing extremely nostalgic, not for the monstrous films in the clips, but for these thirty seconds of airtime. Then came the magical internet that you're staring at this moment. When I first stumbled upon a site called Tulsa TV Memories, you can guess which TV memory sprang to my mind. I immediately registered an inquiry...
Posted to the GroupBlog 10/01/2001:
"If I had two wishes, my first would be to own a Bell's Phantasmagoria bumper sticker. Anyone know where I can find one? (I got my wish.)
My second wish is to see the TV spot for the Plenty Scary Movie again. That music put to those film clips fascinated me, but I was rarely allowed to stay up "Friday night at 11:30."
I don't know how it came to be, but early last year Mike, the Tulsa TV webmaster, finally posted the elusive ad spot, thus granting my second wish and effectively cleansing my synapses of yet another wasteful matter. Additionally, Mike's site taught me that the promo's accompanying music originated on Russ Garcia's Fantastica album. And yes the internet (specifically Planet Xtabay) offered me that as well. You can get it here.
So anyway, my question to all you monster fans is.. can you name all the movies in the Plenty Scary Movie promo?(Thanks again Mike for posting the clip. Also, a big thanks for upping the quality at the request of this silly blogger!)
For most of my life, you could always find a scary movie on at 11:30 on Friday, maybe two in a row. Maybe even on Saturdays at that time.
ReplyDeleteIn these days of 500 channels, though, how come, right around that time on a weekend night, (especially in October!) when I'm in the mood for an old scary movie, there's never one on anymore?
I can't name the movies, though I could probably make a few good guesses.
ReplyDeleteI used to watch Star Trek at 10:30 on Channel 8, and then try to stay awake for the Plenty Scary Movie, but I hardly ever made it; I think Cult of the Cobra was the only one I ever actually watched all the way through. And that one was indeed PLENTY SCARY.
Good question, BTW, Dane.
The host's name wasn't it Papa lazota I'm having problems spelling the last of his name
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