Thursday, October 6, 2022

OTR Halloween Day 6: Dark Fantasy

How to describe Dark Fantasy?

This was a NBC radio horror series from Oklahoma City aired between November, 1941 and June, 1942. Almost all of the episodes still exist. They were written and directed by Scott Bishop, a man who is also known for... nothing else.

Opinions on Dark Fantasy vary. Some think it was a fine horror anthology; others find it ridiculously campy. Personally, I appreciate that Scott Bishop was committed to horror - to stories delving into the supernatural. His tales have murderous trees, werewolves, lost cities, and yes, ghosts. All of it was wrapped up in a very pulpy sensibility. There were times when his characters monologued that I would think Bishop was striving to be like Arch Oboler. But well, Dark Fantasy was not Lights Out.

You may find the quality variable, but I believe there are a few gems. For instance: "The Headless Dead" from January 23, 1942. In this tale, a man visiting the chapel of the Tower of London becomes unwilling spectator to a congregation of the headless dead. Now that he has beheld them, they insist he join their ranks. You can listen to this episode at the Internet Archive.

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