We could all use a little William Castle in our lives.
Earlier this week, we celebrated the birthday of late horror master William Castle with a look back on how much fun he made horror movies back in his day. Castle’s cinema gimmicks were like nothing audiences had seen at the time or even since, predating interactive amusement park experiences by many years. One of Castle’s most memorable gimmicks, part of the 1959 Vincent Price-starring The Tingler, was dubbed “Percepto!”: he almost literally set the film’s monster loose in theaters, its arrival suggested by the clever use of buzzers underneath select seats.
As explained in further detail by Wikipedia:
During the climax of the film, The Tingler was depicted escaping into a movie theater. On screen, the projected film appeared to break as the silhouette of the Tingler moved across the projection beam. The film went black, all lights in the auditorium (except fire exit signs) went off, and Vincent Price’s voice warned the audience “Ladies and gentlemen, please do not panic. But scream! Scream for your lives! The Tingler is loose in this theater!” This cued the theater projectionist to activate the buzzers, giving some audience members an unexpected jolt, followed by a highly visible physical reaction.
Did you ever want to own a Tingler of your very own? Thanks to Amok Time and their Monstarz line, now you can! The company just put a lifesize replica of the William Castle creature up for pre-order on their website, which is expected to arrive in mid May. Measuring 20″ long, the prop replica is made from a semi flexible material for a lifelike feel and lasting durability.
In true Castle fashion, it also comes with a death certificate!
Amok Time’s Tingler is limited to just 100 pieces and can be yours for $99.99.
