by Kelly Serrano
Staff Writer
Since its invention in 1932 the television has sparked emotions of love, hate and anger through its powerful shows, series and specials. One of the emotions most commonly sought after through the television medium is that of fear.
The horror genre has been an important part of television for over five decades. Over the years, shows have played on audiences’ anxieties and their greatest fears. These shows have the power to make viewers scream, send chills through their bodies, make them scared of the dark and give them nightmares at night.
In celebration of the horror genre, The Museum of Television and Radio presents “Monster in the Box: Horror on Television,” a series that examines horror on television since it began.
The series is broken down into individual packages that will run through Dec. 10. Each package explores a different aspect of horror programming over the years. These packages are presented in John H. Mitchell Theater at the Museum of Television and Radio located at 465 N. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and Thursday evenings until 9 p.m. Admission is free and [the following packages screening times] start at 1 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday and Thursday at 7 p.m.
“Boris Karloff,” Oct. 4-15, highlights the work of Karloff (born William Henry Pratt) through “Route 66,” “Lizard’s Leg and Owlet’s Wing,” and thriller, “The Incredible Doktor Markesan.”
“Die Laughing,” Oct. 18-29, illustrates how horror and humor have been cleverly mixed through the years. This is shown through episodes of series such as “The Munsters,” “The Addams Family,” “South Park,” and “The Simpsons.”
“Teen Terror,” Nov. 1-12, explores the recent popularity of occult subjects in youth-oriented entertainment with episodes from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and the documentary film “Curse of the Blair Witch Project.”
“Dark Fables,” Nov. 15-26, looks into the tradition of campfire stories in which there is always an unexpected twist ending and peculiar irony. Specials such as Rod Serling’s “Night Gallery:” “The Caterpillar;” Outer Limits: “William and Mary;” Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “Man From the South;” and The Twilight Zone: “The Hitch-Hiker;” help to portray this narrative tradition.
“Dangerous Investigations,” from Nov. 29 to Dec. 10, concentrates on the dark side of human nature through episodes of “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” and “The X-Files.”
The Museum of Television and Radio offers many interesting exhibits through out the year that may be especially fascinating to communication major students, or anyone with a love for entertainment.
Additional late night screenings will also be held. “KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park” on Oct. 28 at 9 p.m. and “The Night Stalker” on Dec. 8 at 10 p.m. More information can be found at www.mtr.org.
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.