(crickets chirping) - [Announcer] Halloween draws near.

The days grow darker, and the nights colder.

(animals wailing) We turn now to a tale, a story woven into the tapestry of Tidewater, the history of Hampton Roads.

It says that, "Once upon a time "there lived a retired mad scientist, "who lives on the edge of the Pungo Swamp."

(dramatic music) (funky upbeat music) The story continues that this old geezer liked to stay up to all hours mixing formulas, making monsters, and showing perfectly horrible movies.

- Wait a minute, "Old geezer?"

- [Announcer] Would you prefer old fart?

- What?

No, even on Channel 15.

- [Announcer] Hey, I just read the script I've been given.

- Who gave you that script?

Oh, I bet I know.

- [Brain] Hey, McGrath!

(Max sighs) I'm expecting a big delivery, so make sure your party freaks don't make off with my swag.

- Hey, Brain, what kind of delivery?

- [Brain] I just ordered 5,000 bumper stickers for my new presidential campaign.

- Ah, presidential campaign?

- [Brain] That's right.

"Vote for Brain."

The only candidate with a brain.

I'm sure to win.

(laughs) - I'm not too sure about that.

Good evening, gang.

Welcome back to another Halloween out here at Madblood Manor.

We sure are happy to have you here for our 48th Anniversary Halloween Special.

You know, when I think back to when we started, it's hard to imagine how different the world is now.

We were facing down a recession in the U.S. in 1975.

Interest rates were pretty high.

We had a big strike.

It was doctors then, not actors.

Everybody was really worried about gas prices being really high, too.

We had the end of the Vietnam War, but others started up elsewhere.

Come to think of it, a lot of that sounds familiar.

Of course, 1975 did have some pretty cool firsts.

That was the first year of the first ever blockbuster movie.

That was a low budget film, plagued by production problems, produced by a fellow named Steven Spielberg.

That movie was "Jaws", and it changed the way we saw the movies.

Now our movie tonight had an even lower budget, but that didn't stop it from becoming a classic in the old horror film clunker genre.

The 1959 original "House On Haunted Hill" with Vincent Price.

Price plays an eccentric millionaire, something he did best, who invites five people to stay the night in a haunted house.

And as for this house, (chuckling) well, we're excited to be hosting an in-person party to celebrate Halloween this year.

It's been a long pandemic for everybody.

Let's start act one of our movie, and get this party started.

("Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen) - [Announcer] It's Doctor Madblood's 48th Halloween Special here on WHRO TV.

♪ How do you think I'm gonna get along ♪ ♪ Without you when you're gone ♪ - [Announcer] Happy Halloween.

♪ And kicked me out on my own ♪ (gentle music) (projector clicking) - [Ernie] Oh.

Hey.

Well, this is gonna be really good, I know.

You got your stuff here?

- Oh, yeah.

- Okay, good.

(woman screams) (Ernie gasping) (haunting ghostly moaning) (woman screaming in terror) - [Waldo] Did you hear a scream?

(woman screaming in terror) (ghostly sinister laughter) (ghostly sinister laughter) What is going on?

(door creaking slowly) I don't know what to do.

(chains rattling) (spirits moaning) (door creaking slowly) (footsteps shuffling) (ghostly sinister moaning) (Ernie grunting) (Waldo grunting) - The ghosts are moving tonight, restless, hungry.

May I introduce myself?

- Uh, yeah.

- I'm Watson Pritchard, and just a minute I'll show you the only really haunted house in the world.

Since it was built a century ago, seven people, including my brother, have been murdered in it.

Since then, I've owned the house.

(Ernie grunting) I've only spent one night there, and when they found me in the morning, I was almost dead.

(ghostly moaning) (chains clanking) (dramatic music) - I'm Fredrick Loren, and I've rented the House on Haunted Hill tonight so that my wife can give a party, a haunted house party.

(chuckles) She's so amusing.

There'll be food and drink and ghosts, and perhaps even a few murders.

You're all invited.

If any of you will spend the next 12 hours in this house, I'll give you each $10,000 or your next of kin in case you don't survive.

Ah, but here come our other guests.

(dramatic music) It was my wife's idea to have our guests come in funeral cars.

(scoffs) She's so amusing.

Her sense of humor is, shall we say, original.

I dreamed up the hearse.

It's empty now, but after a night in the House on Haunted Hill, who knows.

This is Lance Schroeder, a test pilot, so no doubt a brave man.

But don't you think you can be much braver if you were paid for it?

And I happen to know that Lance needs the $10,000 I'll give him if he's brave enough to stay all night.

This is Ruth Bridgers.

You've no doubt read her column in the newspapers.

She says her reason for coming to the party is to write a feature article on ghosts.

She's also desperate for money.

Gambles.

You've already met Watson Pritchard, a man living in mortal fear of a house, and, yet, he is risking his life to spend another night here.

I wonder why.

He says for money.

This is Dr. David Trent, a psychiatrist.

He claims that my ghosts will help his work on hysteria.

But don't you see a little touch of greed there around the mouth and eyes?

This is Nora Manning.

I picked her from the thousands of people who work for me, because she needed the $10,000 more than most.

Supports her whole family.

Isn't she pretty?

(dramatic music) The party's starting now, and you have until midnight to find the House on Haunted Hill.

(eerie music) (foreboding music) (dramatic music) (gate creaking) (dramatic music) (dramatic music) (eerie music) (mysterious music) (locks clicking) (door creaking) (eerie mysterious music) - Well, where is everybody?

- It isn't a very warm welcome, is it?

- Only the ghosts in this house are glad we're here.

- Are we all strangers to each other?

Don't you two know each other?

- I'm afraid I don't even know your name.

- I'm Nora Manning.

- Lance Schroeder.

- Is Frederick Loren a friend of yours?

- I've heard of him, but I've never met him.

- I work for one of his companies, but I've never seen him.

- I've never met the man either.

Just a phone call.

Do you know him?

- No.

- [Ruth] Well, then, you're the only one of us who does.

- I don't know him.

All the details about renting the house were done by mail.

- He's quite wealthy, isn't he?

- Millions.

- And, five wives I believe.

- Four, I think so far.

- A $50,000 party for only five people is a little steep, even for a millionaire.

(Lance scoffs) - Well, if I were gonna haunt anybody, this would certainly be the house I'd do it in.

(door creaking) (door slamming) (chandelier clinks) (dramatic music) - Who closed the door?

(dramatic music) (chandelier clinking) - This thing's made of solid steel.

(chandelier clinking) (suspenseful music) (glass shattering) (dramatic music) - Annabelle, our guests are here, and, fortunately, still alive.

Is your face on yet?

- Dust and dirt everywhere, and the water barely trickles.

Couldn't you have had the place cleaned?

- Atmosphere, darling, you know how ghosts are.

They never tidy up.

And that's a very fetching outfit, but hardly suitable for a party.

- I'm not going to the party.

- Hmm, this spend-the-night ghost party was your idea, remember?

Since it's gonna cost me $50,000, I want you to have fun.

- The party was my idea until you invited all the guests.

Why all these strangers?

Why none of our friends?

- "Friends?"

Do we have any friends?

- No, your jealousy took care of that.

- I had a reason for inviting each guest.

I wanted kind of a cross section, from psychiatrist to typist, and from drunk to jet pilot.

They share one thing.

They all need money.

Now let's see if they're brave enough to earn it.

- And you call this a party?

- Could be.

(eerie mysterious music) - This is what she used on my brother and her sister.

Hacked them to pieces.

We found parts of the bodies all over the house in places you wouldn't think.

A funny thing is the heads have never been found.

Hands and feet and things like that, but no heads.

- The wife, probably in a rage, threatened the husband with a knife, and then carried away by hysteria, took a swing at him and simply went on from there.

- (chuckles) She certainly went on.

How many people did she kill, Mr. Pritchard?

- Only two, her husband and her sister.

No one else was here.

- So there are two loose heads just floating around in here somewhere?

- You can hear them at night.

They whisper to each other and then cry.

(Lance chuckles) - Since our host isn't here, would anyone care to mix me a drink?

- Certainly, what will you have?

(door opening) - Good evening.

I'm your host, Frederick Loren.

Since we're all strangers to each other, let's get acquainted with a drink, shall we?

- Mr. Loren, I advise you to call this party off now.

The ghosts are already moving, and that's a bad sign.

- Let me apologize for my wife.

She'll join us later.

What will you have?

- Scotch and... - Doctor?

- I'll have the same.

- Now, before the party begins, let's go over the details.

The caretakers will leave at midnight, locking us in here until they come back in the morning.

Once the door is locked, there's no way out.

The windows have bars that a jail would be proud of, and the only door to the outside locks like a vault.

There's no electricity.

No phone.

No one within miles.

So, no way to call for help.

- Like a coffin.

- So if any of you decide not to stay for the party, you must let me know before midnight.

Of course, if you leave, I shan't be able to pay you anything.

- I'm interested in your reasons for this, uh, party, aside from pleasant company.

- Ghosts, Doctor.

I think everyone wonders what they would do if they saw a ghost, and now my wife has given us all the opportunity to find out.

- (scoffs) Amusing.

Ghosts, et cetera, being only creations of hysteria, your party should be a success.

- Well, Pritchard here promises us genuine ghosts.

- Seven now.

There may be more before morning.

- That's cheerful.

- Four men have been murdered in this house and three women.

- You planned your party very well, Mr. Loren, four of us are men, three are women, and a ghost for everybody.

- Pritchard, why don't you take us on a tour through the house, and let's see what happens, huh?

(dramatic music) - [Watson] See that stain?

Blood.

A young girl was killed here, and whatever got her wasn't human.

Don't stand there!

- What do you mean?

Where?

(sinister music) (foreboding music) - It's too late they've marked you.

- Ridiculous, the roof probably leaks.

- Oh, that must be what it is.

Who would wanna haunt me?

- I would say any self-respecting male ghost.

- I hope it doesn't come back.

- Well, Mr. Pritchard, you're the life of the party.

- He hasn't even started yet.

Wasn't there a man who threw his wife into a wine vat or something?

- That was in the cellar.

There's been a murder almost every place in this house.

All this belonged to a Mr. Norton, who didn't die here.

He was electrocuted later.

(dramatic music) Mr. Norton did a good deal of experimenting with wines.

but his wife didn't think it was any good, so he filled a vat with acid and threw her in.

She was supposed to stay down, but the bones came up.

It's a funny thing, but none of the murders here were just ordinary.

Just shooting or stabbing.

They've all been sort of wild, violent, and different.

(tense music) - Look out!

- Thank God she didn't fall in.

- You mean there's still acid in there?

(dramatic music) (acid hissing) (acid gurgling) - Destroys everything with hair and flesh.

It just leaves the bones.

(tense sinister music) ("Twilight Zone" by Golden Earring) ♪ Help, I'm stepping into the Twilight Zone ♪ ♪ Place is a madhouse ♪ ♪ Feels like being alone ♪ - (chuckles) Oh, hey, gang.

The open to this movie with all the screams, was so effective that it actually started the idea of novelty haunting records.

Those are the records of spooky sounds and sound effects and music that were most commonly used for Halloween parties and the ever-popular haunted houses.

(chuckling) I'm working on the eighth dimensional light show overthruster for the party downstairs.

I'm sure it's gonna have a great Halloween bash again.

With the past few years being what they were, it feels good to start back to being normal.

- Normal?

(laughs) Around here!

So what's that?

Oh, I got it!

It's that group that's trying to make weeded legal.

(Dusty laughs) - Yeah, Dusty, that's a good point.

We've never had what you would call normal around this place.

How you doing?

- I'm doing finer than a frog's hair split 10 ways and sanded, son!

(laughs) Everything's going so smooth.

My booming drone business is up in the air and taking off.

- Get the pun there?

- Oh, yeah, yeah.

- Crop dusting has been great.

I even flew in a couple of your guests for the party tonight.

Oh, dang, that reminds me, On the way in, I met this alien, and he wants to meet you.

- An alien?

You mean from outside the country or from outer space?

- Yeah, the space kind.

He landed out in the swamp.

I was on my way in.

I seen him.

I stopped on in, and said, "Howdy," and he said he wanted to talk to you.

- Aliens?

You sound like it's something you do all the time.

- Do you not watch the news, son?

I mean, those suckers are everywhere.

I've seen all kinds of things up in the sky that you just wouldn't believe.

Anyway, it's the first time I ever met one of them aliens in person, though, and he wants to talk to you.

- He's here now.

Wow.

I guess, show him in.

I should have worn my nice lab coat.

- Hey, Bob, come on in!

(laughs) - Bob?

- Well, that's what I call him.

He doesn't seem to mind though.

I better go get him.

Bob.

- So the house that you saw in the beginning of this movie was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1920s, and it still stands today outside Los Angeles, yeah.

This film was shot in only 14 days and was released six months later.

Yeah.

- Good evening, Doctor Madblood.

Thank you for seeing me.

- (chuckles) Wow, you're an alien.

You look so normal.

- Yes, we look like you, so it's easier to blend in.

Normally we don't go around announcing that we're aliens, but I needed to talk to you.

- And you visited us before?

I mean, you visited the planet?

- Oh, yes, we love this place.

Mostly for the food, but also for the entertainment.

You know, like who's doing what inside a Walmart.

(alien chuckling) Best places for a laugh this side of Alpha Centauri!

- Right.

Okay.

What do you wanna talk to me about?

- Well, as I've said, we've come by for ages now, and a bunch of us are starting to get a little worried.

- Worried?

- Yes, I mean, in the past few years, you've had a worldwide pandemic, wars, murder hornets, extreme weather.

The list goes on.

We just wanted to ask you, are you guys okay?

(person laughs loudly) (Doctor Madblood chuckles) It seems like a lot going on.

- I guess you could say that.

(Max clearing throat) I tell you what, gang, I'll talk to Bob here, and we'll go back to the movie.

(Bob laughing) - How'd you get invited to this party?

No.

Let them go on.

I mean, what'd he tell you?

- (sighs) Mr. Loren said everybody would get $10,000.

- But he didn't say anything about being locked in.

- No.

- Yeah.

He just made the deal with me on the phone, but nothing about having to stay here.

- Aren't you going to stay?

- If I don't, I lose $10,000.

- I'm going to stay too.

$10,000.

- Yeah.

Do you believe in ghosts?

- I don't know.

- Well, I agree with what that doc says.

You can spook yourself.

I've done it in planes, seeing things that weren't really there.

Or were they?

(both chuckling) What are you gonna do with your $10,000 if we get it?

- What do you mean, "If we get it?"

Won't he pay us if we stay?

- Ah, sure he will.

Ten-thousand is no more to him than a nickel is to us.

- We were in an automobile accident.

Now I'm the only one in the family who can make any money.

- Boy, I've never seen so many doors.

Closet.

Bottles.

- Does it go anywhere?

(door creaking) (tense music) Lance!

Lance!

(ominous music) Lance.

(eerie music) (suspenseful music) (suspenseful music) (eerie mysterious music) (dramatic music) (tense music) Help me please!

Lance is gone, and there's a ghost!

- "A ghost?"

- See what I mean?

- Please, come on!

- [Ruth] Did she say Lance is gone?

Gone where?

(suspenseful music) (suspenseful music) - We'll have to break it down it's locked!

- "Locked?"

(tense music) - Are you all right?

- Nothing that money won't cure.

(gasping) I must have bumped my head.

- The only way you could bump your head in here is to run head-on into the wall.

You didn't do that, did you?

Let's get a bandage on that.

- Nora, when you came in, you said something about a ghost.

- There was something.

- What did it look like?

- Well, it was wearing a black thing that went all the way to the floor.

- Weren't you a little frightened at the time?

- Well, yes.

- That, Mr. Loren, is hysteria.

- Well, then, Doctor, how do you explain what happened to Lance?

Was that hysteria too?

- You better get that checked in a day or so.

- Thanks, doc.

Wait for me in the hall.

- The ghosts are coming closer, Mr. Loren.

- You really believe in your pet ghosts, don't you, Pritchard?

- Before the night's over, you will too.

- Would you like a drink, Lance?

- No thanks.

- I'd like one.

Scotch and... - Someone or something was in here when I came in.

But where?

And if the door was locked, how did it get out?

What you saw might have been a ghost, Nora, but what was in here with me was no ghost.

- I don't know, I was so scared.

(knocks echoing) (knocks echoing hollowly) - Does that sound different to you?

- Yes.

(knocks echoing hollowly) - Three, six, nine, 12.

Twelve feet?

Three, six.

Now, I'm gonna knock on the other wall.

When you hear me, you knock on this wall.

(Lance's knocks echoing hallowing) (knocks echoing) Tap lower down.

(knocks echoing hollowly) (suspenseful music) (fearful erratic screaming) (Nora screams in terror) (Nora gasping in terror) - Oh, Lance!

I saw it again!

(dramatic music) - Where'd it come from?

- From in here.

- Well, if it ran out of here, I'd have seen it.

- Lance, it doesn't run.

It just floats.

- Yeah, but, why didn't I see it?

- You don't believe me.

- (chuckles) Well, how can I?

(dramatic music) ♪ You're out of time ♪ ♪ 'Cause this is thriller ♪ ♪ Thriller night ♪ ♪ There ain't no second chance ♪ ♪ Against the thing with 40 eyes, girl ♪ (Doctor Madblood humming) - Oh, hey, gang, I just got back from the party.

I took Haley and Bob down.

Apparently, he already knew several of the guests.

I came back up to finish my work on the overthruster.

- Doctor Madblood!

- Where?

- Doctor, I am Special agent Abigail Normal with the All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.

- The A-D-A-R-O?

ADARO?

Or is is A-A-R-O, arrow?

- Please don't try to make an acronym out of the Anomaly Resolution Office.

I'm here to talk to you about the OPP.

- OPP?

(Abigail sighing) - The Other Planetary Person that you may have encountered.

- Oh, you mean the alien?

- No!

No, we don't use that term anymore!

No!

(scoffs) Apparently the OPP landed his or her unidentified aerial phenomenon near here.

- Ah, so the ADARO wants to investigate the OPP and his UAP here at MBM.

- Ah, surprisingly, that is correct.

Now you have been authorized by the federal government as a designated representative to any OPPs for many years now.

- What?

The government says I'm a representative.

Why?

- Oh, records indicate that you've had dozens of encounters with OPPs throughout the years.

Some date back to the 1970s.

And that's only the ones we know about.

- Well, many of us have large portions of the 1970s that they don't remember.

- Oh, you're referring to the Telex Memory Beam incident.

Oh!

- What?

Look, if you wanna talk to an alien, I mean an OPP, I'll take you to him.

- (gasping) Excellent!

♪ And through the wars ♪ - Come on.

♪ Oh, I still believe ♪ ("I Still Believe" by Tim Cappello) ♪ Li, li ,li ♪ - What in the world is that?

- I'm Tweety.

- Oh, it's so cool.

Oh, thank you very much.

Another treat.

Something else for the lab, yeah.

(eerie music) - I'm Annabelle Loren.

You must be Miss Manning.

I realize this is a very unusual, and I'm afraid very dull party.

Wouldn't you like to freshen up?

(eerie dramatic music) This is your room.

Depressing, isn't it?

- I doubt if I'll spend much time here.

- It's going to rain.

The perfect atmosphere for my husband's party.

Why did you come here?

- He said he'd give me $10,000.

- Why did he pick you?

- I don't know.

My supervisor just came and said I'd been invited.

- How long have you known my husband?

- I just met him tonight.

- So, why you?

What were you doing wandering around by yourself?

- Well, I was in the cellar with Lance, Mr. Schroeder, and I just left, that's all.

- Don't do it again.

Don't go anywhere in this house by yourself.

Now, fix your face and I'll come by for you in a few minutes.

- But I... - You're in danger.

We all are.

- But who?

- I hope for your sake you never find out.

(eerie mysterious music) (door closing) I'm Annabelle Loren.

Were you looking for something?

- Not exactly.

- Are you the doctor?

- No, I'm Lance Schroeder.

- The pilot.

Oh, you've hurt yourself.

- Oh, it's just a bump on the head.

Which is my room?

- I believe this is it.

- Thank you, Mrs. Loren.

- Annabelle, Lance.

You were with the young girl in the cellar.

Why was she so upset?

- Was she?

- And you don't look like the type to go around bumping his head.

What really happened, Lance?

- Well, Nora thought she saw a ghost, but I didn't see anything.

- She was just frightened then?

- [Lance] And mad at me, I think.

I kidded her about it.

- I wouldn't joke about anything else that happens here tonight.

- Now, don't tell me you're taking all this seriously.

- Aren't you?

- Well, I'd like to find out what hit me.

- Lance, if I need help, may I count on you?

- (chuckles) Yeah, sure, I guess so.

Look what's going on here anyway?

I mean, what is with this party business?

- This is no party.

He's planning something.

- Your husband?

- I wish I knew what it was.

- Must be pretty big if he's gonna lay out 50,000.

- Money doesn't mean anything.

He has a reason for getting us all up here to this dreadful old house.

- Well, what for he doesn't even know us?

- Maybe, that's exactly why you're here.

- Well, what can he get away with?

- Oh, he thinks that big money like his can get away with anything.

You know, of course, that I'm his fourth wife.

The first simply disappeared.

The other two died.

Lance, I don't wanna join them.

- You mean he... - Oh, his doctor said they died of heart attacks.

Two girls in their 20s?

- Well, what can he do?

- My husband is sometimes insane with jealousy.

Nothing matters to him then.

Please be careful.

- Would he hurt you?

- He would kill me if he could.

(dramatic music) - Annabelle, you're missing all the fun.

Nora Manning was almost killed by a falling chandelier.

The pilot bashed his head in.

- Is he badly hurt?

- The saturnine psychiatrist bandaged him up.

Don't you want to go and console him, as you do most men in your fashion?

- You're so clever, Frederick.

- Yes, I lie awake nights wondering why I married you.

It was rather a mistake.

- You didn't marry me, dear, I married you.

Unpleasant, but no mistake.

- Well, hurry up.

It's close to midnight, Lance.

- Okay, I'll be down in a minute.

- [Nora] Who is it?

- Your host, my dear.

It's almost midnight, Nora.

We're all going to get together down in the living room.

- All right, Mr. Loren.

I'll be right down.

(suspenseful music) Ugh.

(Nora groaning in terror) (tense music) (suspenseful music) (Nora groaning in terror) (tense music) (dramatic music) (suspenseful music) - Come with us.

Come with us before he kills you!

(Nora screaming) (clock ticking) - Where's Nora?

Miss Manning?

(tense music) - I don't wanna stay here!

- Nora, what happened?

(door creaking) (dramatic music) That's Jonas Slydes and his wife.

They've been caretakers here for years.

She's blind, you know.

- I'm not going to stay here!

- Well, Doctor, it looks like we have a real case of hysteria on our hands.

- I think she's just a little upset.

Not hysterical.

(door opening) - Good evening.

- Hello, my dear.

This is my wife.

These are our guests.

- Get me out of here.

- What about the $10,000?

- I don't care he wants to kill me.

- Who wants to kill you?

- Mr. Loren.

(clock ticking) - May I have your attention please?

I think you all remember the bargain we made about staying all night.

$10,000 a piece.

If any of you don't survive, $50,000 will be divided amongst the rest of you.

If I should die, you will be paid by my estate.

When the door is locked from the outside by the caretakers, we'll all be forced to stay in this house until morning.

If any of you decide not to stay, you must leave with the caretakers now.

You won't have a chance to change your minds later, because there'll be no way to get out.

- I don't wanna stay.

- Wait.

(wind whistling) (chandelier clinking) (dramatic music) (door slamming) (suspenseful music) - It isn't midnight yet.

Who told them they could leave?

- They never leave before midnight.

- Well, they've gone now.

I was going to ask you whether you wanted to stay or not, but it seems that the caretakers have made the decision for you.

We're all locked in now.

- But I don't wanna stay.

- And I'm sorry, my dear, but it's too late now.

- Darling, haven't you had enough of this silly game?

Get some cars up here for these people, and let them go home.

But pay them first.

- This is your party.

Remember?

In spite of my wife's faith in my ability to do the impossible, we will all have to stay in this house until eight o'clock in the morning.

But we have some party favors for you in these little coffins.

This is my wife's idea, and I must say I think it's rather dangerous.

And here's yours, dear.

- I don't need it.

- It was your idea.

Who knows, you may want to use it on me before this night is over.

(dramatic music) - Throw these guns away.

They won't do you any good.

- I agree with Pritchard on that point.

Although, not for the same reason.

- Dr. Trent.

Don't you approve of our little party favors?

- Suppose Nora had had a gun when she mistook the blind woman for a ghost?

- I don't think anyone else is going to walk around in total darkness.

- Oh, I'm sure we're not gonna go running around the house shooting each other, aren't you?

- Who knows?

Fear makes people do amazing things.

- Mr. Pritchard, you said your sister-in-law killed a man and a woman here and cut them up.

You said they found hands and feet, but they never found any heads!

Would you like to see one of those heads?

Would you all like to see one of those heads?

Well then, just follow me!

(tense music) - Darling, I really don't need this.

- Just go look in my suitcase.

Just go look.

(dramatic music) But it was in there.

A woman's head.

- Nora, I think you're a little upset.

Would you care for a sedative?

- Get out!

Get out all of you!

All of you get out of here and leave me alone!

Just get out of here!

(Nora sobbing) - Do you think it's all right to leave her by herself, Doctor?

- I wish she'd taken the sedative.

- Well, what do you suppose she thought she saw?

- They're closing in on her.

- Look, Doc, I think somebody ought to stay with her.

- There could be a million people around her, but if they wanted her, they'd get her.

- What if he's right?

- He's too drunk to know what he's talking about.

- I wonder.

I'll join you in a minute.

(door opening) (door closing) - Do you think it would do any good if you went in and talked to her?

- Do you think there really was a head in her suitcase?

- (sighs) I don't know.

- A thing like that would put me right over the edge.

- Look would you sort of stay up here?

I mean, in case she needs help.

- All right.

I'll be in my room.

Just call.

- Thanks.

(door closing) - Are you sure there are only seven people in this house?

- Positive.

Except for the ghosts.

- I don't believe in ghosts, nor in frightening women.

In Nora's case, it's gone far enough.

Perhaps, too far.

- What do you suggest we do about it, Doctor?

- Don't frighten her anymore.

(dramatic music) (eerie music) - Nora.

Nora?

(mysterious music) Nora?

(door creaking) (suspenseful music) (foreboding music) (suspenseful music) Nora!

Nora!

(tense sinister music) What do you know about this?

- They've taken her.

In a little while, she'll be one of them.

- Where's Nor... Where is she?

- It's too late.

It's too late.

You'll never find her again.

- Pritchard, if you know where she is, you better tell me now.

- She's gone!

She's gone with them, and there's nothing you can do about it.

(woman screaming nearby) (woman choking violently) (eerie music) - Nora.

- [David] Let her down.

(eerie music) (dramatic music) (eerie dramatic music) - Nora?

- [David] She's dead, Mr. Loren.

Your wife hanged herself.

- Suicide.

(door closing) (dramatic music) - [Nora] Lance.

- Nora.

- Lance, hide me.

Please hide me.

- What's the matter?

- Hide me.

(dramatic music) ♪ Call me, call me, on the line ♪ ♪ Call me, call me any, anytime ♪ ♪ Call me, call me, I'll arrive ♪ ♪ You can call me any day or ♪ - Oh, hey, gang.

Vincent Price liked the idea of this movie so much that he agreed to make two films with William Castle, the director, if he could star.

The second film was "The Tingler", also made in 1959.

I'm still trying to get this overthruster to work for the party.

We've had some great visitors this year, and a great turnout at the party.

(bright music) - Hey, Max!

(Max chuckling) Mind one more visitor?

- Oh, Sybil, it's so good to see you.

What brings you by?

- Well, one, to say Happy Halloween, and congratulations on another year.

- Aw.

- And two, the girls and I are leaving on a world tour.

- "A world tour," well, thank you my dear.

What kind of a world tour?

- Well, a world of magic tour, Max.

- Ah.

Oh, great.

So, you guys are gonna be doing some magic around the world, like Zigzag Lady, and linking rings, and zombie, and... - Not that kind of magic.

Witches' magic, Max.

Did you know that casters are five times more likely to have carpal tunnel?

The girls and I have invented a self-stirring cauldron, and it's taken the world of magic by storm!

- Wow.

That does sound good.

Well, good luck, and I hope you ladies...

I hope to see you soon.

- Goodbye, Max.

Happy Halloween.

(bright music) ("Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo) ♪ I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go ♪ - Happy Halloween, thanks for coming.

I'm really glad you did.

("Freaks Come Out at Night") Everybody is dressed up so beautifully.

It's amazing.

We've got some terrific costumes this year.

I'm really glad to see all the great stuff.

It's just terrific.

♪ But what I like about 'em most is that they're real good ♪ - Hello, Max.

- Oh, Widow Pain!

Oh, I'm so glad to see you.

- Well, I'm glad to be here.

I met this guy, this weird alien guy named Bob.

♪ And they don't walk when they step ♪ - Bob?

- Yep.

He invited me to this mixer on Nebulas Five, and I really wanted to see what dating was like in outer space.

I'm all excited.

(Max chuckling) (Bob laughing) So, we're off.

Happy Halloween.

- Thank you, and congratulations.

- Whoo!

- Enjoy outer space.

Take care in the great beyond there.

(chuckling) ♪ The freaks come out at night ♪ ♪ The freaks come out at night ♪ ♪ The freaks come out ♪ (dramatic music) - He tried to kill me.

He grabbed me and choked me and put me in that room, and then he went away and left me.

- Who?

- He thought I was dead.

- Who?

("The Freaks Come Out At Night" by Whodini) - Mr. Loren.

♪ The freaks come out ♪ - Are you sure about this?

- I don't know, it was dark, but it must have been him.

- Has anybody seen you since he left you?

- I heard some people in that room, but I went by and nobody saw me.

- Mrs. Loren is dead.

- But how?

- Loren said she committed suicide, but I think somebody killed her.

- Him.

(dramatic music) (knocking on door) (Nora gasps) (knocking on door) - I'm sure you've come to the same conclusion I have.

- Yeah, I think so.

- Well, let's all have a meeting and discuss what to do.

The living room?

- Okay, in a minute.

I've got to go downstairs.

Now you lock yourself in here, and don't let anybody know you're here.

If he thinks your dead, he won't come here, and I'll get back as soon as I can.

You'll be all right.

And if you have to, you use it.

(door closing) (lock clicks) (gentle music) - So beautiful.

So greedy.

So cold.

(tense music) (suspenseful music) What are you doing in here?

- Wait don't we... - What do you mean coming in here?

- I didn't want them to take her away.

- You're drunk.

- They will if you don't watch her!

- You're drunk.

All right, out with it, Pritchard.

Why did you come into this room?

- I'm the only one who understands.

- Understands what?

- Your wife isn't there anymore.

She's already joined them.

- You know, Pritchard, I've had enough of your spook talk.

Get out you, sot, and don't come back into this room again!

(dramatic music) - Where's what's-her-name?

Nora.

- I didn't disturb her, since I don't think this concerns her.

- No, you're right.

- Mr. Loren, isn't there some way we can get out of this house now?

- No, none at all.

- We could try breaking out.

- The only door to the outside is made of steel.

The bars on the windows are set in solid stone.

We've got to stay.

- I'm not afraid of your ghosts, Pritchard.

But I am afraid.

When we came here a few hours ago, the only thing we had in common was the $10,000 we'd get.

Now, however, we share something else.

The death of Mrs. Loren.

So far tonight, one of us was almost killed by a falling chandelier.

One of us was mysteriously slugged.

One of us has been driven to the brink of absolute hysteria, and one of us is dead.

Were these accidents?

Suicide?

And we must stay here for six more hours.

- Six hours?

Six of us.

Time enough.

- Who will be next?

How will it happen?

- Let me ask you a question, Doctor.

You were the first one to see my wife there.

Did you also see anything that she could have climbed up on and then jumped?

- No.

- Did any of you?

There was nothing.

How then did she get up there so high?

- Exactly, Mr. Loren, how?

She couldn't have pulled herself up there.

She couldn't have dropped from the ceiling.

Do you think your wife killed herself?

- No, she was murdered by one of you.

- Or you, Mr. Loren.

To deliberately kill someone, you must have a reason.

- We were all strangers to your wife.

Only you had a motive for murder.

- What husband hasn't at some time wanted to kill his wife?

What husband hasn't had a thousand opportunities to do it in such a way so that he'd never be suspected.

I'm not such a fool as to hang my wife from a ceiling by a rope.

- The fact remains that you, or one of us, murdered Mrs. Loren, and that's a matter for the police.

- So how do we get the police?

- That's my point.

We can't until morning.

What began as a silly party given by an eccentric, has now involved us all in murder.

- For once, Pritchard may be right.

If another murder's in the works, let's stop it now.

- Another murder?

- Why not?

May be one of us saw too much.

- Why should even a millionaire want to give each of us $10,000 to spend one night in a gloomy old house?

To see some ghosts?

To have a party?

No.

- Have you finished trying me, Doctor, and is the verdict guilty of murder?

- Ah, this isn't getting us anywhere.

Somebody killed Mrs. Loren.

We know that.

One of us is guilty, and the rest of us are innocent, okay.

Now what we have to do for the next six hours is protect ourselves from each other.

- Do you really think-- - I don't think anything.

I just know that I'm going to my room, and if anybody comes in, I'll shoot him or her.

- And if we all stay in our rooms, we'll be safe, because the innocent will have no reason to leave his room, and the guilty will admit his guilt if he or she does.

- And we all have guns.

- Then we're all agreed.

- Oh, I wish this night were over.

- Rooms?

Guns?

I tell you it doesn't make any difference.

They aren't through with us yet.

(dramatic music) What's the use of saying goodnight?

(lock clicks) (dramatic music) - Goodnight.

(lock clicks) (lock clicks) - Goodnight, Doctor.

(dramatic music) (lock clicks) (door opening) (dramatic music) (tense dramatic music) (wrapper crinkles) - [Waldo] I'm out of food.

- [Ernie] Huh?

What?

- [Waldo] I'm hungry.

- [Ernie] Eh, done with this?

- [Waldo] Yeah, me too, okay?

- [Ernie] Okay.

- [Waldo] Boom, boom, boom, boom.

- [Both] One, two, three.

- [Waldo] Boom!

(dramatic music) - It's me, Lance.

(light dramatic music) You okay?

They've all gone to their rooms and locked themselves in.

- Lance, I've been thinking.

It was so dark down there, maybe it wasn't Mr. Loren.

- It was him all right.

He tried to kill you, and he did kill his wife.

(thunder crashing) - How can you be so sure?

- She tried to warn me.

Asked me to help her.

The doc thinks he's gonna try and kill one of us.

(thunder crashing) (thunder rumbling) Now, there must be a way out of this place, and I'm gonna find it and get the police before he does.

- I'm going with you.

- What if he finds out you're alive?

No, Nora you're safer here than any place else.

Now just lock yourself in and keep quiet.

(thunder crashing) If I find a way out, I'll come back and get you.

(thunder rumbling) (dramatic music) (thunder rumbling) (eerie ominous music) (foreboding music) (Lance knocking on wall) (thunder crashing) (dramatic music) (thunder crashing) (tense music) (thunder crashing) (suspenseful music) (tense eerie music) (thunder rumbling) (thunder crashing) (Nora gasping) (suspenseful music) (thunder crashing) - No.

No.

(thunder crashing) (eerie sinister music) (thunder rumbling) (thunder crashing) No.

(thunder rumbling) No.

No.

(sobbing) No.

(suspenseful music) (Nora screaming in terror) (suspenseful music) (Nora screaming in terror) (Nora sobbing) (dramatic music) Lance.

(Nora gasping) (dramatic organ music playing) (Nora screaming) (thunder rumbling) (thunder rumbling) (thunder crashing) (gun cocks) - An admission of guilt, Doctor?

- Certainly not.

There's either somebody else in this house or one of us has left his room.

Did you hear anything?

- Organ music.

- That, and someone walking.

- Have you got yours?

Ready?

- You look downstairs, and I'll look up here.

- Why not together?

- There may be only minutes, seconds left of someone's life, why waste time?

("Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo) ♪ All dressed up with nowhere to go ♪ ♪ Walking with a dead man, with a dead man ♪ ♪ Ooh-ooh, waiting for an invitation to arrive ♪ (gentle music) - So, one of my favorite fun facts about this film is that it made a lot of money when it was released, so much so, that it was noticed by Alfred Hitchcock.

This led him to create his own low-budget horror film "Psycho" in 1960.

I'm just about finished with the overthruster.

Let's see, if I do this... (electrical crackling) (electrical explosion) Now that wasn't supposed to happen.

The party's going full swing downstairs.

I think even Special Agent Normal is having a good time.

I just need to see if I can bring this thing back from the dead.

- "Back from the dead!"

That's my area of expertise.

(booth chuckling) - Count Lucudra, how great it is to see you.

- Great to see you, and happy anniversary, Max.

- Thank you very much.

It's good to see you, too.

What are you doing these days?

- Well, everything's wonderful.

I mean, it's not really wonderful, but it's wonderful for me.

- Uh, I'm confused.

- Okay, see, the weather has been wonky lately, and people are wanting to stay inside and starting to look like vampires.

So, I developed this line of skincare products, and they are really catching on.

Renfield was my test subject.

So they were not tested on animals.

And we've come a long way.

There've been a few setbacks, but, we've come a long way.

- "Setbacks?"

- Yeah, the, um, him growing the tail, and then the fire breathing of the mange.

But we got that under control.

He's right as rain now.

And those products are flying off the shelf like bats.

(laughs) - Well, that is good, I guess.

- Yeah.

- Oh, hey fellas.

Did you have a good time in the movie?

- No.

- No.

- Oh, I'm sorry, guys.

Wilma said that she has the matter transporter all set up at the party if you wanted the guys, to, you know, swap body parts around again.

(both cheering) Ernie, Ernie.

No, sitting in the punch bowl again.

(Ernie sighs) (Waldo laughing) - Thanks for that.

Ernie, makes the punch tastes weird.

- Yeah, mm-hmm.

Well, it's not Halloween till the monster's cut loose.

Let's go back to the movie, gang.

(chuckles) Come on.

We'll get some of that punch now, just in case.

- Sounds like a plan.

("Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult) ♪ All our times have come ♪ (eerie music) - It's almost over, darling.

Every detail was perfect.

- What's happening?

- We've done it.

The perfect crime.

Beautiful.

- Has she killed him?

- Not yet.

But she will.

- Get me out of this hanging harness.

What's taking that girl so long?

What time is it?

- At first, I couldn't get Nora to want to protect herself with the gun.

But after you appeared at the window, everything began to work just as we had planned.

You were wonderful, just the touch that finally drove her into complete hysteria.

- It'll be worth all of our planning, darling.

Where's Nora now?

What's happening?

- On her way to the cellar, so scared she'll shoot the first thing that moves.

- And Frederick?

- On his way to the cellar too.

- David, are you sure none of them will suspect us?

- Of what?

An hysterical girl accidentally shoots somebody.

Who would suspect that we planned it that way.

That we drove her to it.

- What about my suicide?

- Well, just a ghost party gag.

We'll claim it was a dummy since I'm the only one who touched you.

- And the caretakers?

- Well, they had no idea what they were really doing.

- Well, what about Nora?

She's not stupid, you know.

- Darling, believe me everything we planned is working perfectly.

Nora is sure Frederick murdered you.

She thinks Frederick attacked her in the cellar not me, and now Nora is almost out of her mind with fear.

The heads, the music, your hanging, I tell you when Frederick walks in there, she'll shoot him.

- It's taking too long.

David, you ought to be there.

- When you hear the shot, come down to the cellar.

(dramatic music) (dramatic music) (tense music) (suspenseful music) - Nora, no!

(gunfire blasting) (Nora screaming) (dramatic music) (chain creaking) (man grunting) (acid splashes) (flesh sizzling in acid) - David?

David?

(door creaking) (tense ominous music) (door closing) (door creaking) (door closing) (door creaking) (door closing) (foreboding music) (tense music) (acid sizzling) (dramatic theatrical music) (suspenseful music) (suspenseful music) - At last, you've got it all.

Everything I have.

Even my life.

But you're not going to live to enjoy it.

Come with me, murderess.

Come with me.

(Annabelle screaming) (suspenseful music) (Annabelle screaming) (suspenseful music) (Annabelle screaming) (suspenseful music) (Annabelle screaming) (acid sizzling) (dramatic music) (suspenseful music) (dramatic theatrical music) (suspenseful music) (suspenseful theatrical music) (tense dramatic music) Goodnight, Doctor.

Goodnight, Annabelle.

The crime you two planned was indeed perfect.

Only the victim is alive and the murderers are not.

It's a pity you didn't know when you started your game of murder, that I was playing too.

- There must be some way to get in here.

- Well, it's right along here somewhere.

(Watson grunts) - Lance, I've shot Mr. Loren.

He's down in the wine cellar.

- Alive?

- I don't think so.

It's him.

He's alive.

- You didn't shoot anyone, my dear.

I loaded your gun with blanks.

I can tell you all now.

Trent and my wife were planning to kill me.

They failed.

Trent tried to throw me in the vat.

My wife stumbled and fell.

I'm ready for justice to decide if I'm innocent or guilty.

(dramatic music) - Now, they're nine.

There'll be more, many more.

(chains clinking) (footsteps shuffling) They're coming for me now, and then they'll come for you.

(ghost laughs menacingly) (chains rattling) (door creaking) (suspenseful music) (dramatic music) - We lost a few friends this year, and we wanted to remember them now.

(somber instrumental music) - Welcome to Doctor Madblood's Halloween House.

The old man threw a party!

(somber instrumental music) (Max muttering softly) (light instrumental music) (Max chuckling) - Well, gang, that's our show for tonight.

Thank you very much for all the years of silliness that you've spent with us.

We hope you all have a safe and Happy Halloween.

- [Female Partygoer] Hey, Madblood!

Come on out to the party!

We're missing you!

Whoo!

- Until next time, goodnight, gang.

Thanks for turning us on, whoo-hoo.

- Come on, get busy!

("Pencil Thin Mustache") Get a move on, Mister!

We're waiting for you!

Whoo!

♪ Now they make new movies in old black and white ♪ ♪ With happy endings, where nobody fights ♪ ♪ So if you find yourself in that nostalgic rage ♪ ♪ Honey, jump right up and show your age ♪ ♪ I wish I had a pencil thin mustache ♪ ♪ The Boston Blackie kind ♪ ♪ A two-toned Ricky Ricardo jacket ♪ ♪ And an autographed picture of Andy Devine ♪ ♪ I remember being buck-toothed and skinny ♪ ♪ Writing fan letters to Sky's niece Penny ♪ ♪ Oh, I wish I had a pencil thin mustache ♪ ♪ Then I could solve some mysteries too ♪ ♪ Then it's Bandstand, Disneyland, growing up fast ♪ ♪ Drinking on a fake ID ♪ ♪ Yeah, and Rama of the jungle was everyone's Bwana ♪ ♪ But only jazz musicians were smoking marijuana, yeah ♪ ♪ I wish I had a pencil thin mustache ♪ ♪ Then I could solve some mysteries too ♪ (light upbeat musical interlude) ♪ Thin, thin, pencil thin mustache ♪ ♪ Then it's flat top, dirty bop, copping a feel ♪ ♪ Grubbing on the living room floor, so sore ♪ ♪ Yeah, they send you off to college ♪ ♪ Try to gain a little knowledge ♪ ♪ But all you wanna do is learn how to score, yeah ♪ ♪ But now I'm getting old, don't wear underwear ♪ ♪ I don't go to church, and I don't cut my hair ♪ ♪ But I can go to movies and see it all there ♪ ♪ Just the way that it used to be ♪ ♪ That's why I wish I had a pencil thin mustache ♪ ♪ The Boston Blackie kind ♪ ♪ A two-toned Ricky Ricardo jacket ♪ ♪ And an autographed picture of Andy Devine ♪ ♪ Oh, I could be anyone I wanted to be ♪ ♪ Maybe suave Errol Flynn or the Sheik of Araby ♪ ♪ If I only had a pencil thin mustache ♪ ♪ Then I could do some cruising too ♪ ♪ Yeah, Brylcreem, a little dab'll do ya, oh ♪