News

Remembering Zelda Rubinstein

Published

9 years ago

January 22, 2015

January 27, 2015 marks the anniversary of the death of Zelda Rubinstein. The pint-sized actress with the ten gallon screen presence, born in 1933, was 46 years old when she made her first appearance on screen in 1979’s Americathon, but it was her scene stealing turn in Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist five years later that made her a household name and a fan favorite in the horror genre for the rest of her life.

Outside of her work in films, she spent her life working for the rights of other little people and for their equal treatment in society and film, going so far as to start her very own acting company, The Michael Dunn Memorial Repertory Theater Company, with membership made up of actors ranging in height from 3’8″ to 4’6″. She was also one of the first actors to actively work for HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, appearing in a series of print ads for L.A. Cares as “Mother” giving advice to her sons about safe sex. She would later go on the record that she felt her career suffered due to this vocal support.

On this anniversary of her death, we revisit and remember some of Zelda’s most stand out performances, and a life well lived on film.

Poltergeist

The poor Freeling family is having a bit of a problem. Their house has been invaded by spirits and their daughter has been taken into a parallel dimension. They can hear her, sometimes feel her, but they cannot get her back. A team of parapsychologists come in to investigate and ask for permission to bring in a psychic medium to help them. Tangina Barrons enters the home and for a while, the movie is all hers. I was completely enthralled with Zelda as Tangina. From her first statement to her pronouncement that “This house is clean, I was riveted. She went on to appear in the two sequels. Take a look and see for yourself.

[youtube id=”h_nLiys-TqY” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

Anguish

In 1987, Italian director, Bigas Luna, cast Zelda Rubinstein in his psychological horror masterpiece, Anguish. Telling the tale of a mother who controls her son psychically and forces him to commit multiple murders, the film never got the attention I thought it deserved. Admittedly, the plot was a little muddled in places due to the movie within a movie angle that was used to tell the story, but overall it was a truly frightening film and one I thoroughly enjoyed.

[youtube id=”Ib4UXzken64″ align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

Teen Witch

Okay, so this isn’t a horror film…it’s not even a really great film, but it’s one of Zelda’s most fun roles. Playing a descendant of the witches of Salem named Serena, Zelda proved she had some comedy chops in the movie. One of my favorite scenes involves using the amped up power of a fledgling witch to conjure a hunk of a man so Serena can have a hot date for the night. Take a look below as Serena meets young Louise Miller, played by Robyn Lively, for the very first time.

[youtube id=”3GcQp2JJvv0″ align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

This movie was a little Valentine to all the horror movie lovers out there. Boasting an original story about the rise of a brand new killer who wants his name up there with Freddie Kreuger and Jason Voorhees, the film brought in a few horror icons for various roles to up their already high ante, and Zelda was among them. Playing a small town librarian, she was only in the film for one scene, but it was a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a video clip for this one, but if you haven’t seen it, you really should. It’s a great scene and the movie is extremely well done.

Scariest Places on Earth

While she had a great career on film, she also made a name for herself doing voiceover work on television and film. One of my favorites was “Scariest Places on Earth”. The premise was simple. Send a family into a reportedly haunted location; give them tasks and cameras to record themselves, and see if they lasted the night. It was a lot of fun and Zelda’s narration was super creepy, giving history of the location as the episode progressed. Check out the episode below!

[youtube id=”1Kvh0-njHvs” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little retrospective. I often wish Miss Rubinstein was still with us, but her legacy will certainly live on.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

You must be logged in to post a comment.

News

Netflix Releases First BTS ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ Footage

Published

19 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Timothy Rawles

It’s been three long years since Netflix unleashed the bloody, but enjoyable Fear Street on its platform. Released in a tryptic fashion, the streamer broke up the story into three episodes, each taking place in a different decade which by the finale were all tied together.

Now, the streamer is in production for its sequel Fear Street: Prom Queen which brings the story into the 80s. Netflix gives a synopsis of what to expect from Prom Queen on their blog site Tudum:

“Welcome back to Shadyside. In this next installment of the blood-soaked Fear Street franchise, prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider is unexpectedly nominated to the court, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of ’88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.”

Based on R.L. Stine’s massive series of Fear Street novels and spin-offs, this chapter is number 15 in the series and was published in 1992.

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN IS NOW IN PRODUCTION 🩸 Welcome to Shadyside High. We're gonna have a killer time. pic.twitter.com/jDl0zRa2CH
— Netflix (@netflix) April 30, 2024

Fear Street: Prom Queen features a killer ensemble cast, including India Fowler (The Nevers, Insomnia), Suzanna Son (Red Rocket, The Idol), Fina Strazza (Paper Girls, Above the Shadows), David Iacono (The Summer I Turned Pretty, Cinnamon), Ella Rubin (The Idea of You), Chris Klein (Sweet Magnolias, American Pie), Lili Taylor (Outer Range, Manhunt) and Katherine Waterston (The End We Start From, Perry Mason).

No word on when Netflix will drop the series into its catalog.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

News

Live Action Scooby-Doo Reboot Series In Works at Netflix

Published

20 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The ghosthunting Great Dane with an anxiety problem, Scooby-Doo, is getting a reboot and Netflix is picking up the tab. Variety is reporting that the iconic show is becoming an hour-long series for the streamer although no details have been confirmed. In fact, Netflix execs declined to comment.

If the project is a go, this would be the first live-action movie based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon since 2018’s Daphne & Velma. Before that, there were two theatrical live-action movies, Scooby-Doo (2002) and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004), then two sequels that premiered on The Cartoon Network.

Currently, the adult-oriented Velma is streaming on Max.

Scooby-Doo originated in 1969 under the creative team Hanna-Barbera. The cartoon follows a group of teenagers who investigate supernatural happenings. Known as Mystery Inc., the crew consists of Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers, and his best friend, a talking dog named Scooby-Doo.

Normally the episodes revealed the hauntings they encountered were hoaxes developed by land-owners or other nefarious characters hoping to scare people away from their properties. The original TV series named Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! ran from 1969 to 1986. It was so successful that movie stars and pop culture icons would make guest appearances as themselves in the series.

Celebrities such as Sonny & Cher, KISS, Don Knotts, and The Harlem Globetrotters made cameos as did Vincent Price who portrayed Vincent Van Ghoul in a few episodes.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

News

BET Releasing New Original Thriller: The Deadly Getaway

Published

20 hours ago

April 30, 2024

Cameron McFarland

BET will soon be offering horror fans a rare treat. The studio has announced the official release date for their new original thriller, The Deadly Getaway. Directed by Charles Long (The Trophy Wife), this thriller sets up a heart racing game of cat and mouse for audiences to sink their teeth into.

Wanting to break up the monotony of their routine, Hope and Jacob set off to spend their vacation at a simple cabin in the woods. However, things go sideways when Hope’s ex-boyfriend shows up with a new girl at the same campsite. Things soon spiral out of control. Hope and Jacob must now work together to escape the woods with their lives.

The Deadly Getaway is written by Eric Dickens (Makeup X Breakup) and Chad Quinn (Reflections of US). The Film stars, Yandy Smith-Harris (Two Days in Harlem), Jason Weaver (The Jacksons: An American Dream), and Jeff Logan (My Valentine Wedding).

Showrunner Tressa Azarel Smallwood had the following to say about the project. “The Deadly Getaway is the perfect reintroduction to classic thrillers, which encompass dramatic twists, and spine-chilling moments. It showcases the range and diversity of emerging Black writers across genres of film and television.”

The Deadly Getaway will premiere on 5.9.2024, exclusively ion BET+.