kingdom_james Reviews

The Mystery of the Million Dollar Hockey Puck (1975)

good fun for Canadian kids becomes great nostalgia for Canadian adults

[7/10 · 1 April 1999]

Could there be a more "Canadian" way to smuggle a fortune in stolen diamonds than inside of a hollowed out hockey puck? Well neither can I. And evidently, neither could the writers of this great little piece of Canadiana.

When a pair of bungling burglars mistakenly lose said item, it falls into the hands of two adventurous Montreal urchins. Now to get the darn thing to the proper authorities before the evil-doers can catch them. The climatic scene alone, which takes place at the old Montreal Forum arena (during a Canadiens game, no less) makes seeking out this little treasure well worth your while.

And if your kids can excuse the clothing we all wore in the 70's (god, I miss my giant afro with the black power comb with the fist on it!!!), then they're in for a well-crafted little piece of action, suspense and Saturday morning fun. It will remind them of movies like Home Alone. It will remind you of a time when the Montreal Canadiens were a Stanley Cup winning juggernaut. (Don't cry, gentle reader. It may happen again someday.)

Man, could that Guy Lafleur act....

The Hilarious House of Frightenstein (1971– )

great things sometimes come in the oddest of packages...

[1 April 1999]

Produced all in one shot at the CHCH-TV studios in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 1971, this show elevates low budgets as the mother of creative invention to deity-status. Character actor Billy Van reaches his zenith with his portrayal of not only the self-important Count, but also a plethora of others, all of to whom he breathes life and very distinct personalities.

The groovy, record-spinning Wolfman. The Animal-loving Dr. Pet-vet. The crazed Julia Childs of Transylvania, Grizelda (who always added a pinch of Walt to every recipe...Walt was of course a large jug of her late husband's ashes). The Oracle. Bwana Clyde Batty. The list goes on.

And not to be outdone, the spooky environs of the Count's castle were shared by Fishka Rais' lovable oaf, Igor. Whether he was catching heck from the Count, dancing up a storm to a soul record with the Wolfman or begging the Three-Toed Sloth to finally let him keep one the animals Dr. Pet-vet offered him...you couldn't help but love the big green-skinned under-dog.

Oh, and nostalgia buffs be alert!!! During a huge lull in his career, horror icon Vincent Price accepted the role of the Narrator, wise sage and "host" of the show. Spouting playful rhymes that served to introduce each new segment, Price lent a certain credibility to the castle's proceedings.

The Hilarious House of Frightenstein was and still is just that, hilarious. Here's the best way to look at the show...SCTV for kids.