I’m wandering the rows of my local family-owned video rental store, just perusing the shelves for any title that may catch my eye.
It’s obviously a slow night. I hear the faint sounds of another customer lost in the aisles somewhere near the old war movies. The two girls behind the counter look like your everyday bored to death high-school students. But what’s this? Strolling through the front door, come two women, quite possibly a mother and daughter, in their 30’s and 50’s respectively. As they approach the teenagers behind the counter, it should be noted that there are now three generations of people convening together. They approach the counter and this is how the conversation plays out.
Customers: Do you have anything by Vincent Price?
Clerks: I have no idea. I can look him up. Is he an actor? (STRIKE 1)
Customers: No, a director. (STRIKE 2)
(I’m eavesdropping pretty hard at this point and every word exchanged is killing me a little inside.)
Clerks: Ok, let me check. *type type type* I don’t see anything under director, was he in Edward Scissorhands?
Customers: No. (STRIKE 3)
(Cue Intervention)
Me: Uhm, yeah he was. He was the Inventor. It was one of the last things he did before he died.
Customers: OH.
Clerks: Well sorry, that’s all we have.
AND SCENE
Following this exchange, I checked out the "Horror" section to be greeted with a slew of Vincent Price classics, including (but not limited to) House on Haunted Hill, The Masque of the Red Death, The Bat, and House of Wax.
I don’t know why that bothered me, but it did. How could three generations of people be that oblivious to the existence of the great Vincent Price? Aside from his status as a legend of the horror film genre, he’s done plenty of “pop culture friendly” things to appease the masses.
He was on Hollywood Squares, he voiced Professor Ratigan in Disney’s (DISNEY’S) The Great Mouse Detective, he was in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, and he was the narrator of Michael Jackson’sFAMOUS Thriller video. Perhaps, even more important than that, he was on the freaking Muppet Show. Does it get any better than that? How could it?
Vincent Price
1911 – 1993
(click image for full size)
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Update: 12-13-10
This post was featured on the two awesome horror genre sites Classic-Horror & Horror Society. Thanks guys!
Overhearing that convo would have depressed me as well, but what do you expect from a culture that insists "Hostel 2" is horror (as opposed to horrible piece of crap)?
ReplyDeleteI'm distressed about the conversation as well, but I also understand that not everyone, even those in my own age group (I'm 43) are going to have grown up being exposed to the same love of a particular genre of film (or genres) that I did and do. Not everyone has my love for horror/sci-fi/fantasy films of 3,4,5, or 6 decades ago or even longer. Still, I'm a devoted Chris Lee fan and often bristle when I mention his name to someone else and they don't know who he is. But the big problem I have with the conversation is the fact that those ladies went into the video store looking for films of an actor they didn't seem to know much about, nor did they seem to be interested in his films much in the first place. If they were at all, a quick internet search would've armed them with a bit of information before going to the store. That would be like me going to a video store and asking for any films of any one of the "Twilight" series actors (a cast that I know next to nothing about).
ReplyDeleteKevin
I'd have probably thrown something at them. lol
ReplyDeleteI would have had to intervene myself because Vincent is my favorite actor of all time and for people not to know of him is a form of blasphemy to a man who did so many films and tv appearances and radio shows and plays and so on, etc. Price really worked but actors(and IA use that term loosely)today get paid so much that they don't need to do multiple films each year. I'm not a violent man but I may have had to throw something at them too, maybe one of the great films listed above.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I'd have lost it and gone all snarky and critical. Idiots. Louts. Nincompoops. Dolts. Muppet Show non-watchers! Vincent Price is beyond horror. How could they not know?
ReplyDeleteSuperb poster. Thanks!
Vincentennial, the Vincent Price 100th Birthday Celebration!
ReplyDeletewww.vincentennial.com
Vincent Price was born in St. Louis, so this is where we are throwing this major event that consists of two exhibits, two stage productions, two publications, and two film festivals including the comprehensive 10-day Vincentennial Vincent Price Film Festival with lecture series to be kicked off by legendary director Roger Corman. The event will be capped on May 27th, Price’s 100th birthday, with a presentation by Victoria Price, author of Vincent Price, a Daughter’s Biography.
Kudos, Eric, on the poster! Neat idea! It only goes to show that the culture we live in is only interested in what's current, and Vincent's last starring role in a horror movie was Madhouse in 1974. (yeah, I know he was in other stuff after that, but it was usually a supporting part) The day Vincent died, the entertainment reporter for Global TV in Toronto went to a video store looking for something he could use for clips. He asked if they had any Vincent Price movies. The response from the clerk was blank incomprehension. So obviously, it's our sacred duty to educate people.
ReplyDeleteHi thanks for sharing this amazing article, it has a amazing content
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"Let me set up a scenario for you" is an invitation to step into a crafted narrative. Alok Ways Claim It's a prelude to imaginative exploration, offering a glimpse into a vivid world.
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