BellGab.com Archive

Thank you so much for posing these links, Jasmine and HorrorRetro. I thought I'd never have the chance to watch these movies. My childhood friend down the street would talk about scary they were, but we were never allowed to seem them. (I was so jealous!)

I should probably just watch them in bed with my Kindle Fire... with the lights out.

If we're going old-school, then it's Barbara Stanwyck for me. She could play wronged innocent, responsible do-gooder, comic foil, noir murderess and thriller queen... and she looked like a million bucks in every role. Clothes to die for.

"When all is said and done, it makes good toast."

The secret to a perfectly warmed and crisped bread slice is Satan.

Quote from: Sardondi on November 14, 2012, 10:16:08 AM
If I'm doing mindless stuff online I often like to listen to spoken word streaming or mp3s. Some of the most fun are the BBC Radio sites. My favorite is BBC 4, which concentrates on serialized dramas, including SciFi like Dr. Who, Heinlein or Bradbury, or horror stories from H.P Lovecraft or other classic authors of the genre. It also has comedy or what passes for it in the UK) and documentaries or interviews. Right now they have up a series called "The Price of Fear", which was a series of short spooky radio dramas narrated and often participated in by Vincent Price, from what feels like the 80's. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01nt4qh. It's fairly genteel, almost camp - a real throwback to bloodless "horror", but for me it's a real treat. So is the "CBS Mystery Theater", a series of supernatural hour-long radio dramas from the 70's, narrated by E.G. Marshall. http://www.cbsrmt.com/synopsis.html

If you listen while you surf, try it out. It makes for wonderful atmosphere.

*edit* Oh, and about the "bloodless" thing: I just finished the Price program I linked to - it's pretty bloody after all!

I'll have to try those. I listen to Old Time Radio a lot when I'm working or just playing solitaire. Some of the shows/episodes are really good and sometimes they're heavy on the organ music and canned sound effects.

My Go-to channels...
Roswell UFO Radio
American Comedy OTR
Don't Touch That Dial (Recommend the shows on Terror Tuesdays for this crowd)
http://audionoir.com/ 100% Hardboiled OTR
http://theater13.net/ Beyond the Extraordinary
http://www.oxfordclassicradio.com/ OTR Mystery & Adventure
http://www.horror-theatre.com/ Something Terrible Always Happens! OTR

If George is really getting you down, you could do worse than giving one if these a try. Like 70's movies, the histrionics and slang can be funny even while the story keeps you... in Suspense (brought to you by Roma Wines) 

Quote from: Sardondi on November 13, 2012, 02:01:43 PM
Me too. That voice! Those eyes! GET AWAY, EVIL HAG!!!...

She was beautiful in the 1930's. I was just a little girl when I first saw her old movies on TV and she made quite an impression on me: The Petrified Forest, Jezebel, Dark Victory - to name a few. She was fascinating and strong willed. I didn't think her temper-tantrums were over-the-top because I saw similar scenes every day in elementary school... seemed fairly normal to me. 

But, her later movies... couldn't even imagine it was the same person. It was terrifying on so many levels. Not just because she seemed witchy and murderous... it was a "Is this what we become?" kind of horror.

Quote from: HorrorRetro on November 12, 2012, 11:09:03 AM
Me too!  I was just telling someone about the Trevi Collection episode the other day.  It's my favorite Night Stalker episode.

It didn't help that I was already afraid of dolls thanks to watching the Talking Tina episode of the Twilight Zone when I was around 4-ish. My doll phobia is pretty well entrenched. It's really irrational, but it can't be helped. Of course, dolls are harmless... unless you offend them in some way.

Quote from: UFO Fill on November 12, 2012, 10:10:39 AM
Who cares if Mel was fake - it was a great tall tale.  I can envision a group of idiots, drinking beer, dropping stuff into the hole until one guy pulls out a fishing rod and volunteers to find out how deep the hole is.  Just believable enough to be a great story.  The second call about the 1943 Roosevelt dime, not so great.

Exactly. It really is all about the story, and Art was great at encouraging a good story. That's why he got the good callers. Why waste an entertaining tall tale on Noory if he's going to cut you off before you can deliver the punchline, or ask a stupid question that throws off the rhythm? A good story is like a good joke. It's got to build in just the right way.

Quote from: Jasmine on November 10, 2012, 02:24:42 PM
Oh yeah, I watched the pilot TV film on Youtube, the one set in Vegas. I liked Kolchak's style and anti-conformist mindset. I have yet to watch the subsequent episodes of The Night Stalker.

I also loved how - in those 70's made-for-TV thrillers - the women would be in a deep sleep, be suddenly awakened (by some dark terror that had struck) and they'd be fully made up (no pillow smudging), their hair in perfect place (courtesy of Adorn hairspray), and even wearing false eyelashes...to bed! Oh, those 70's Divas!

And how come everyone and their mother drank like fishies in these 70's campfests? The booze flowed as thick as the cheese was cut (dialogue)...well, you know what I mean.

A pink slip for Noory and crew!

Kolchak! Thanks to The Trevi Collection episode, I'm a little afraid of mannequins to this day.

... The costuming from the 70's and back through the 30's. Yummy! It's unforgiveable in a show today if the lead has perfect make-up and hair under duress, but back then...? I so admired it. It was something to aspire to. The first few times I tried to do my hair, I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't stay put.  As a little girl, I had no idea that actresses achieved perfection by having their own stylist and makeup artist just off screen, ready to rush in with a touch-up. 

Just to bring it back to Noory, actors like Darren McGavin have that indefinable presence. They can take something cheesy and make it seem more interesting than it is. Tom Hanks was in some movies that should have been forgettable turds but they're watchable thanks to his presence. Noory doesn't have "it". I don't know if he could and he just doesn't try...

Hmmm... I was excited about real open lines, but I'm not sure if it's worth downloading. 

I haven't seen Black Christmas or The House That Would Not Die, but I can watch them on YouTube:

Black Christmas:
Black Christmas [1|10]

The House That Would Not Die:
The House That Would Not Die - Barbara Stanwyck (1970) Full movie

Good times.

Quote from: Jasmine on November 08, 2012, 03:37:35 PM
I also love those ancient old 70's made-for-TV thrillers - my dad has a lot of them. Cheesy, campy are some, but there's something about the 70's - they nailed the horror genre in a manner we'll never see again. ...

NOORY SUCKS. Carrie's mom: "They're all gonna laugh at you...George!"

I agree. Those made-for-TV movies were great. What were the smoking? If only SyFy could get some because their made-for-TVs are terrible.

I did like the recent Katie Holmes remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark.

Quote from: Jasmine on November 08, 2012, 03:01:24 PM
Thanks, Meggini and SnapT. I see it clearly now. The way post Halloween thang threw me off. Well, so much for those subliminal Skull and Bones messages.

I just had a horrid thought. Imagine Noory breaking into the audio reader biz, and doing the narration for Bram's "Dracula" or Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein". Imagine the tone and inflection in Snoory's voice as he lisps and spews spittle all over these classic Goth tales? Egads!

Hsssss... The horror!

I've loved Bram Stoker's Dracula since seeing the Frank Langella as a kid (which is why the characters in the graphic jumped right out at me). There was a high-quality version of Frankenstein out around the same time, and I loved that too.

Quote from: Jasmine on November 08, 2012, 02:25:07 PM
Totally off topic, has anyone else noticed the VERY bizarre drawing/graphic on the Google home search page? Truly weird drawing...if I was a paranoid person I'd be screamin' New World Order from the rooftops.

It's Dracula... a little late for Halloween. From right to left you have
Dracula.
His freaky wives (I can't remember if the dog is also him or just a servant)
His castle (and himself as bat)
Harker and Mina
A villager (I assume)
Lucy and Fiance who I can't remember
Van Helsing
(some guy with a record player - actually maybe that's John Seward)
Renfield

Edited to fix John Seward's position

Quote from: 11angeleyes11 on November 08, 2012, 10:08:41 AM

How reckless, "unscreened open lines.", and for four hours!

I'm actually going to give that a listen. I would totally change my opinion about him if he can drop his fake persona and go with the call, help shape it and make it something interesting.

Quote from: UFO Fill on November 08, 2012, 09:31:56 AM
Obviously, the Cheap Channel executives thought they could simply plug George (as the little blonde girl) in to follow Art's formula.  Equally obviously, George's ratings, based on Cheap Channel's requirements for its business model, are good enough.  Otherwise, they'd get another little blonde girl.

Your whole post was really informative. I get it now. Art's show was great because he had total control. Coast is never going to be good again because it's just another product... not a creative endeavor by a talented showman who's not afraid of his audience.

My grieving period is over. 

I would love to see Ian get an another evening show with a different carrier. I really looked forward to his early show. That was good radio,and I'm in Eastern time so that worked better for me.

I listened to a live broadcast on election night (a mock election show that wasn't really about the election at all) that made me believe that there are other "Art Bell"'s in the making - who are using a variety of different mediums to have unscreened call-in shows that are actually fun - not one-trick pony political shows or sports shows. It really is the variety of topics and the call-in portion that makes it interesting. There's an edge-of-your seat element with audience participation and the variety keeps a show from becoming too angry or too sappy.

Quote from: Eddie Coyle on November 07, 2012, 02:11:43 PM
            Noory sucks, and he killed C2C.

            That said, I find this repulsive. Talk about a slippery slope. Are Art's marriages/child abandonment claims going to be mentioned? Glass fuckin' houses, man.

I agree. This isn't cool. It feels dirty. I don't care that he tried different businesses and it didn't work out (or marriages for that matter). How many entrepreneurial heroes do you  have that would look like frauds based on the history of their failures (business and otherwise)? Quite a few, I would imagine. It takes a lot of focus and a lot of luck to succeed.

I only care that he doesn't seem to trying in his current position.

Quote from: Nebraska888 on October 28, 2012, 12:16:56 PM
I'll take Wells over Noory ANY NIGHT of the week.

I can't agree. If Wells were to take over Coast, they'd still lose me. His Dark Delilah persona isn't flexible enough for most topics and interviews. The rock-n-roll show illustrated that one.

But...it would be interesting to have Wells host a Dark Delilah dedications radio show.

Wells: "I have Big Jimmy on the line. Jimmy, what's your request?"
Big Jimmy:  "I'd like to request Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap for my hot neighbor. Dat rotten egg she's livin' wit? It can be broken. Popped. Clipped. If you know what I'm sayin'... call me sweetheart."
Wells: "Well, he's willing to walk the clothesline for her. Sounds like Big Jimmy'd make a useful friend when this country finally collapses." (Fade in song)

Quote from: Doomed on November 03, 2012, 01:36:58 AM
...The on air staff had slowly drfited into some bad habits, and those were compounded by a program director who was there to collect a paycheck. Nothing more. The stations GM, who created the original sound understood what was happening, and fired the PD. ...
Noory came to C2C with a buttload of bad habits, which he has faithfully built upon over the years. Now he is at the point where there is nothing to do with him but send him home for good. Another host should be installed and carefully groomed to insure the program reflects what C2C is truely about. ...

This is so interesting.

What is C2C is truely all about? Why is this subject matter so perfect for late night? Because it's thrilling. Because it gives you an adrenaline rush and helps you stay awake and alert. But the subject matter isn't enough, you need a good host to keep the tension high. As the show is now, I'll find myself on the edge of my seat listening to the guest, only to have GN deflate all the tension because he isn't listening or misses the point.

PremRad underestimates the audience, so they're losing listeners. They think we're all a bunch of loonies and boobs because it's a show about UFOs, ghosts and conspiracies. And that means they've lost the smart, competent people who used C2C to stay awake on their jobs because it was like a strong cup of coffee.

I think Doomed is right. It can be saved, but we need a competent host who gets what C2C is all about: keep us thrilled and awake with scary stories, smart dialogue and smarter interviews.

Quote from: Paper*Boy on November 02, 2012, 05:48:59 PM

Personally, I wasn't listening every single night at the time and George's suckage sort of crept up on me.  I would only listen if it was a subject I was really interested in.  I'm normally one to give someone a chance, and in this case not expect them to be as great as the person they replace.  And while he was the guest host and when it was a possibility Art might come back if needed, I think George did put in at least some efort.  He seemed like a nice guy.

The things he does and doesn't do aren't so bad until one realizes they are habitual and not a one time slip or omission.  So George was boring, so he couldn't pronounce some regular everyday words or read aloud well.  So he wasn't all that bright.  But he was trying right, I mean everyone in entertainment is thrilled to be there and works hard to do their best, don't they?  I understood George couldn't read everyone's book, that he wasn't an expert in everything. 

But at some point it dawned on me he never asked the obvious follow up, no matter how interesting a guests comment may be.  Then I realized he habitually asked questions the guest had just spent 5 minutes discussing.  Then I noticed the same questions no matter who he was talking to or what the topic was.  Then I noticed all the useless intterruptions - 'amazing', 'incredible', 'riveting', etc.  Then I noticed maybe he wasn't that nice of a guy.  Then I noticed he never seemed prepared for any show or guest.  Then I noticed he wasn't getting better at any aspect of the job.  Then I noticed he wasn't really interested in the world around him or in any of the normal show topics.  Then I noticed...

^ This. In fact, when I mentioned to Mr. Meggini that I was enjoying your site, he said "What's so bad about George Noory?" because he only listens for a few minutes at a time (to help him fall asleep, or on the ride home from work, etc.) I only picked up on it myself when I listened for literally hours while doing my home project. It's so frustrating when Noory ruins what should be a perfectly good show.

It makes perfect sense that the ratings would go down. Imagine all those nightshift workers who have stopped listening to Coast. Art's alertness kept them alert. GN's lazy inattentiveness is a snoozer.

Speaking of which...

Quote"Radio sensation George Noory brings his provocative interviews to a new original weekly series BEYOND BELIEF, exclusively on Gaiamtv.com"

"Join George...for dynamic discussions on paranormal phenomena, conspiracies and all things unexplained"

The TV executive or producer who set this up is going to be unpleasantly surprised when he finds that George doesn't have the ability to think on his feet or focus long enough to conduct a proper interview. And a discussion? 

Quote from: Sardondi on November 01, 2012, 11:01:32 AM
That's the whole issue right there - the percentage of donations which go to "administration" ( read "salaries"). It still infuriates me that the Red Cross, a bloated bureaucracy if ever there was one, sniffs that it will take our money, but it doesn't want foodstuffs, clothes, blankets or survival items. That guarantees a fantastic amount of money will be wasted by RC. But we little people just shouldn't worry our pretty little heads about stuff like that, and should let the professionals do all that hard thinking.

That's just it. It's easy to give physical survival items locally, very difficult to give across state lines or internationally. That makes it tough if you really want to help during a disaster, famine, or whatever.

And if I want to give money towards finding a cure for a disease, how does someone like me find a Jonas Salk to donate to directly?

Sometimes we have to trust an organization to forward the funds or host the research. It's too bad, because the lazy and greedy can smell free money from miles away and they're difficult to move once they've sat their fat asses on honeypot.

Quote from: b_dubb on October 31, 2012, 07:02:49 PM
holy crap.  i had no idea that someone kept the vaccine for polio secret.  thanks for sharing this.  screw the March of Dimes

Whoah. I've been very careful about not giving money to foundations that have a high percentage of admin fees. For example, I'd never give to Komen - too much $$ spent suing people who used the word "cure" in fundraisers. But.. it's easy to be fooled. And there's a reason why it's fashionable for the sons/daughters of the rich and famous to start charitable orgs. Charity is a very lucrative biz. Easy to pull down 6-figures in admin fees when you have your parent's wealthy friends in your address book.

My random stupid thing:

I feel selfish, but I'm bummed that Io9.com has been down all week because their servers were damaged by Sandy. That's my favorite genre entertainment and popular science news website.

Underearth dwellers or civilizations: "Evidence" of ancient underground civilizations found in caverns along with scary stories of morlock / little people spotted near openings menacing the locals or following and frightening cavers.

I'm not a big a fan of that one Dulce story, although I like the general idea that locals feel there's something under there.

There are some great stories in Janet Bord's Fairies: Real Encounters With Little People. These are puzzling encounters, some of them of the "We dare not go a-hunting for fear of little men" variety. Don't let the word fairies turn you off. This isn't a book about angel-esque fairies and how to contact them for luck and love.

Michael Mott's Caverns, Cauldrons and Concealed Creatures has some great chilling anecdotes. He can be Shaver-esque, coming off a little crazy, but he includes some folklore from around the world to support his theories, and that helps suspend disbelief. And I love the Richard Shaver stories and rock paintings, too.

Mount Shasta deserves a mention, too. I just like the idea that there's something strange going on right under our feet, with civilizations and races older than ours. Sleestaks. Morlocks. Deros. Red-hatted gnomes. Duendes.... Never build your house near a cave system... Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. 

Quote from: Sardondi on October 23, 2012, 10:07:24 PM
A recent show on the AB stream made struck for me two reasons. First is that the Art of old could be every bit as credulous-sounding as Noory. I really have been surprised at how often Art was a cheerleader for some ridiculous guests and theories. Yes, it's often "puffing" and just simple good business to show enthusiasm for the people who populate your show. But it's still sobering to hear Art make the kind of sky-is-falling pronouncements or what-a-great-guest bluster that we'd kill Noory about. Just a reminder that things are often altered in our memories.

It's funny, but I've never forgotten that about Art. Do you remember the Future Map of the US guest? Much of the US was supposed to be deluged by now. At the time, the guest was encouraging us all to sell our homes and to move to a safe region - sooner rather than later! They would direct you to the website, so you could see if you were in a safe zone... Then surprise! You had to buy the map.    I think Art said he had the map hanging by his hot tub or something. That was scary stuff. LoL And, a little irresponsible, because I'm sure some people did move. 

There's actually a writer on Cracked whose parents bought a small farm because they believed something was going to happen to the US. They could have been influenced by this guy (I don't know how long he was selling his schtick before Art, and some of those writers are young) -The Cracked writer hates chickens to this day.

To be honest, I would take a break from Art sometimes too, because there was fear mongering, and because, like Ian, he could be argumentative.

Noory doesn't bother me because he has to sell crap. That's the business. It's because this show is all about the story (real, hoaxed or imagined), and Noory is not a good story-teller - so he doesn't recognize a great story when he hears one. Where Art was a master carnival barker building the moment, focusing your attention, directing the show, Noory is a Jar Jar Binks, a Scrappy Doo, a Lori Grimes, who fumbles and distracts and makes you remember you have something else you could be doing.

Quote from: Agent : Orange on October 27, 2012, 04:34:49 PM
I've only listened to a few audio books, but World War Z blew me away. It's impossible for me to not associate Henry Rollins and Mark Hamil with those characters now.

Amazing listen. I never thought I'd be moved by a book about Zombies, but it's really a collection of  stories from survivors of battle, refugee camps, and invasion. Makes me want to read The Good War by Studs Terkel.

Quote from: Sardondi on October 11, 2012, 09:37:38 PM
That's funny, because I have sometimes wondered about "new" members who seem to immediately go to post overdrive upon joining. ... Besides, what does it matter?

For myself, it's because I've needed some rest after working in overdrive for a few weeks. This board has been really entertaining and helped me sit on my ass all day like a good girl. My posts will drop off soon.

Quote from: Mind Flayer Monk on October 27, 2012, 07:51:31 AM
Woah I just read that a few months ago after reading "The Turk"

It's amazing that Standage could write a whole book about one chess-playing automaton. I'll have to try it.

I admit that I actually listened to 6 Glasses on audio book. The reader was very dry. I kept wishing it was read by the same guy who did Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World by Michael Lewis. His narrator caught every nuance and had me laughing out loud. Great listen.

Quote from: beavischongus on October 27, 2012, 11:37:54 AM
The church idea is a good one and I agree that the internet is a bad place to meet people.  It's too difficult to tell what someones true intentions are without their body language and voice tonality.

If you do try meetup.com, rest assured that Meetup's rule is that your club or interest group must meet in-person. It's great for people who have moved to a new town, or had a life change (like you), or realized that no one they currently know enjoys (insert activity/interest here) but has really been wanting to (hike / play board games / discuss spiritual issues / drink locally brewed beers) with people who are genuinely interested in the experience. I've used it and it really helped me.

I think having a life-changing experience can be lonely if don't find real in-person people who understand a little of what it must be like. Shared experience is better than sympathy any day.

Quote from: UFO Fill on October 27, 2012, 09:19:27 AM
Listening to the stream with Art interviewing Dr. Evelyn Paglini.  Art asks her what the ethics are of using magic on someone.  Would such a question ever occur to sNoory?  Of course not.

I remember that from back when. Holy crap. That was a great question and a scary response. LoL I liked her better when Art interviewed her as well.

sNoory wouldn't and that's just sad. What a waste...

I don't think you can tell quickly with any accuracy. You might miss a good person if they're simply having a bad day and pass a bad person who makes a good impression.

Have you tried associating yourself with a like-minded, but diverse, group who are working towards the same goals you are?  There might be a bad apple in the bunch, but the overall experience could be positive.

You can find local philosophical/spiritual groups on meetup.com. It's a club networking site - not a dating site. You could also search for a shamanic group in your area. Shamanic centers tend to draw people from diverse religions who are open to personal experiences like NDE's and who want to work towards the greater good.

I came to this website because I hadn't listened to Coast in about 2 years (for reasons you're all familiar with). But, I still let my Streamlink subs renew for Mr. Meggini. They come in handy when you're stuck  in traffic or can't get to sleep after a long day working on a project - just little snippets of fun that you don't have to commit to.

I had turned to Audio Books and Old Time Radio shows instead.

Recently I was working on a big home project that required some brain-power so I needed to listen to something that allowed me to tune out occasionally without actually missing part of the plot. Coast to Coast fit the bill!

I picked out some shows from the past 2 years with guests I thought would be entertaining and was just shocked by how bad Noory had become. It's obvious he's not listening to the guests, but when he does it's almost worse because he interjects something idiotic. Immy pointed out one of the incidents I noticed. That was a great opportunity to ramp up the scares and George didn't just drop the ball, he punted it over the fence so no one could play. When he says things like that, you're completely taken out of the moment.

I was also shocked that over 24 months, there were so few good shows and guests. Although, I think one of the members here had it right that we could be less discerning with Art because he would make it entertaining or go to open lines which he also made entertaining. Noory is terrible with open lines. Art would get some really creative callers, because they knew Art would play along. Noory doesn't know how to play with the subject matter. He doesn't appear to be a fan.

So, yeah... it is still useful to have Coast to listen to for my project. It's just frustrating that there's so little to choose from when the show is on every. single. day... That's a lot of fail.