Episode 119: The Hunt

[00:00:17] Speaker A: The mysterious old Radio Listening Society podcast. [00:00:26] Speaker B: Welcome to the mysterious old Radio Listening Society, a podcast dedicated to suspense, crime and horror stories from the golden age of Radio. I'm Eric. [00:00:34] Speaker A: I'm Tim. [00:00:35] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:36] Speaker D: We love mysterious old time radio stories, but do they stand the test of time? That's what we're here to find out this week. [00:00:41] Speaker B: It's my pick and I'm doing an episode of Creeps by Night titled the Hunt. The series ran from May through August of 1944, producing 23 episodes, seven of which are still in existence. The series had several hosts, but the West coast series was hosted by Boris Karloff. On the east coast, it was hosted by an anonymous an anonymous voice known as Doctor X. Doctor X was played by multiple people. [00:01:07] Speaker C: The series featured a number of stars throughout its run, Peter Lorre, Bela Lugosi, Raymond Massey, and Basil Rathbone. Karloff, however, was the main draw for listeners. The show gained a reputation for being unpredictable. Episodes like the hunt follow typical horror tropes like in todays case, werewolves, but would find a way to twist the ending. [00:01:26] Speaker D: Karloff once said, there is no greater mystery than the mystery of the mind. Many of the shows focus on a psychological horror without giving too much away. For this week's episode, it really is left up to you what the truth is, and it was a perfect show for radio in the sense that on stage or television, these stories would have given too much credence to one viewpoint or another. Your mind tells you what you see and therefore the answer is yours and you are merely terrifying yourself or justifying. [00:01:55] Speaker B: The print ads for this series read, warning, persons suffering from heart trouble and those whose blood had a tendency to curdle and hair to uncurl under the stress of great excitement are urged not to listen. The station disclaims all responsibility for the health of those who insist on hearing this thriller. [00:02:12] Speaker C: However, they failed to advertise the upcoming stories or the upcoming stars in advance, and the writers didn't receive any on air credit. Karloff stopped hosting after the 12th episode, and the unknown Doctor X hosted the final four episodes, marking the end of its run. [00:02:28] Speaker D: And now we bring you Boris Karloff and Robert Maxwell in the hunt from creeps by night. Originally broadcast May 9, 1944. [00:02:37] Speaker B: It's late at night and a chill has set in. You're alone and the only light you see is coming from an antique radio. Listen to the sounds coming from the speaker. Listen to the music and listen to the voices. [00:02:58] Speaker A: We bring you creep by night. The Blue Network presents the international star of stage and screen the mastery of mystery. Boris Karloff in Crete by night. How do you do? This is Boris Carlos joining with you once again for another exploration into the unknown darkness of the human mind. Tonight, our story illustrates in terrifying terms the oft repeated theme of this program. There is no mystery greater than the mystery of the mind. It is for you to decide whether these weird and ghastly happenings were a figment of man's imagination or a tragic reality beyond man's understanding. Crete by night presents Boris Karloff as Loomis Horton in the hunt. Our scene is the Horton farm, 50 acres of rich grazing pasture almost on the edge of the Louisiana bayous, the legendary swampland that for centuries was the spawning ground of black magic and voodoo. The night is warm and dark, its heavy silence broken only by the hum of insects, the chirping of crickets, and the occasional deep throated croak of a bullfrog. Off in the swamp, suddenly the shadowed outline of a human figure appears at the edge of a cypress grove behind the weather beaten Horton house, and a soft, hustled signal rides to still night air. For a long moment, there is no response. Then a door at the rear of the house opens quietly, and a girl crosses to the cypress grove, her eyes searching the darkness. [00:05:14] Speaker E: Yes. [00:05:15] Speaker A: Right here. [00:05:16] Speaker E: Do it, Jeff. You shouldn't have come hitting one with black moods tonight. I gotta go right back in. He'll kill me if he finds me here. [00:05:23] Speaker A: He won't kill nobody. I'm getting fed up with him ruining your life, Julie. Got a mind to tell him a thing or two. [00:05:29] Speaker E: It won't do any good. Yeah? [00:05:31] Speaker A: What rights he got keeping you from getting some fun out of living? That's what I want to know. [00:05:35] Speaker E: He's my brother. [00:05:36] Speaker A: That don't give him no right to pen you up. You ain't one of his stinkin sheep, Jeff. [00:05:40] Speaker E: Peace. Don't allow it. He'll hear you. [00:05:43] Speaker A: I don't much care if he does see, Jeff. [00:05:46] Speaker E: I'll be the one to suffer. [00:05:48] Speaker A: I'm sorry, Julie. Bona makes me mad clean through when I think of him. Treat me the way he does. I want to marry you, Julie, and take you away from here. The stories going around the village. [00:06:01] Speaker E: What do you mean, Jeff? [00:06:03] Speaker A: I don't like to say it, Julie, but folks are talking about your brother Loomis. [00:06:08] Speaker E: Talking? I don't understand. [00:06:13] Speaker A: Buck Peebley and Bill Mason come through here. Night four. Last hunting coon said I saw Loomis on the east pasture digging a grave. [00:06:22] Speaker E: A grave? [00:06:22] Speaker A: Yeah. He's burying something you know what it was, Julie? [00:06:28] Speaker E: Got any idea? No, I don't care. [00:06:32] Speaker A: But what? [00:06:34] Speaker E: Oh, I shouldn't be telling you this. [00:06:36] Speaker A: Yes, it won't go no further. [00:06:38] Speaker E: Julie Carmen. [00:06:39] Speaker A: Hope you die. [00:06:40] Speaker E: Well, I. I heard Loomis talking with the hired man. I heard him say something comes out of the swamp at night. [00:06:50] Speaker A: Out of the swamp? [00:06:51] Speaker E: Yes. They don't know what it is, but coming dark, Loomis hardly never goes without his shotgun. [00:06:58] Speaker A: Sound like voodoo to me. Julie, I gotta take you away from here. It ain't healthy. [00:07:02] Speaker E: Well, you can't, Jeff. Not till I make him. Not for two months yet. [00:07:06] Speaker A: How am I gonna sit around for two months thinking about you? Shut up in a house with that crazy man? [00:07:10] Speaker E: You got no right to say that. [00:07:11] Speaker A: Yeah, I got every right. Keeping graves at night, Marian. Lord knows what. And talking about things coming out of the swamp. I ought to say something to him about all this. You can say it right now. Oh, even Mitch Horton. Get back into the house. Julie. Hold on a minute. Mister Horton, get into the house. [00:07:31] Speaker E: I'm going, Lumin. [00:07:33] Speaker A: But Julie, wait. Let her go. You got no right, Trina. Like you do. I got a right to do as I please. She's my sister and she's underage. Now get off my land and don't come back. If I catch you here again, I'll horsewhip you. I don't scare easy, Mister Horton. No. Perhaps I got something in the house that may change your mind. I'll give you five minutes to get off my land. I'll leave when I'm good and ready, before I'm going back indoors for a shotgun. And if you're still here when I come out again, you'll get a load of buckshot. Remember that dirty low down skunk? Just let me catch him once off his own land. Just once. I'll beat his ugly head off. What the feeling like a wolf. Only manual wolves out of here. No, I mean wolf cock. Come closer. I'm sneaking through the traffic store. I wonder what I mean. Maybe I better. I'm afraid there's not much I can tell you, Professor Taylor, except that it happened five weeks ago. The police moved in on the case right after the boy's body was found. Frankly, we didn't get very far. It's still an unsolved mystery. I see. You don't know, of course, why I'm here, sergeant. Well, all I know is we had a letter from the state university saying you were coming. Come and down, do some research on the case. Yes, yes, exactly. Now as I understand the sergeant, the boy's throat was considerably lacerated. Worse than that, there wasn't any throat left. You're convinced it was an animal? What else could it be? No human could rip a throat open like that. Were there any cracks? No, the ground was pretty hard. What stopped us cold was our bloodhound couldn't pick up a trace of scent. No animals went anyhow. How about human? Only the Hortons. And the hired man, Andrew, they don't count. Thing happened on Horton land, so naturally you'd expect. Yes, yes, yes, of course. Tell me, this Horton you mentioned. Illumina's Horton, his name is. Does he keep a dog? A savage dog? No. Won't allow one on the place. Even about the gate of the dog angle. But there isn't one like that in the whole parish. Curious. Very curious. Where is the Horton farm located, sergeant? About 7 miles out of town, county road. Did the boy live or work there? No. No. According to Horton's story, Jeff Settle was crawling on young Julie. She's Horton's sister. Jeff left about 930, and a few minutes later, Horton heard him screaming for help. Horton ran out the back of the house. Found Jeff at the edge of a cypress grove, stone dead. I'd like a little talk with this Horton, sergeant. Well, I don't know. He's a queer duck. Doesn't think much of strangers and doesn't take much to anybody, as a matter of fact. Really? Well, he puts in most of his time looking at this farm and his sheep. Keeps one hired man between the two of them. He managed pretty well. Then there's his young sister. This girl Jeff Peddle was calling on. He doesn't let her out of his side. Keeps pretty much cooped up in the house. Nice looking girl too. Would it be possible to drive out to the Horton farm tonight, sergeant? See? Ten minutes to eight. Be dark by the time we get there. You are not afraid of the dark, are you? I'm not afraid of anything I can see. Let's go. Is it much farther, sergeant? Look at that. Look at what? They're ahead, crossing the road. Is that a dog? It could a reef. Speed up, sergeant. Hurry before it's gone. Look how thigh is cleaving our headlight. A yellow fire. That dog is the biggest one I ever saw. I'm afraid it's no dog, sergeant. Quick. Swing to the left. Keep your lights on it. Yeah. You notice anything starting around, heading for the cypress grove? Yes, but notice the color of that peculiar gray God and the fangs, the pointed ears, the way it moved. Didn't it remind you of a wolf? Let's go after it. No, no, no, wait, sergeant. It's no use. None of this darkness. We never find it in that thick grove. Yes, you're right. You really think it was a wolf? I said it reminded me of one. Well, we don't. We don't have wolf in this section. Perhaps. Yes, I know. Sergeant. I think it's time I told you the kind of research I intend doing. Do you know what lycanthropy is? No, I can't say I do. Well, it's a form of madness. A disease of the mind. Those who are afflicted with it imagine they've turned into wild animals. They develop a taste for blood and often commit violence when the spasm seizes them. Once the seizure is over, they return to normalcy with no knowledge of what occurred. Sounds pretty horrible. Yes, it is horrible. You understand there's no physical change except the deepening of the voice. As far as we know, what it is. As far as you know? Some authorities believe the disease may be so deeply rooted in certain human beings that when a spasm seizes them, their actual physical appearance is altered. They take on the form as well as the habits of wild beasts. They are called werewolves. Men will turn into wolves. Wait. What's the matter, sergeant? Why did you jump? It just kind of hit me. Bloodhounds. Not finding any animal scent and that gray thing. We just all run across the room. We mustn't reach conclusion, sergeant. No true werewolf has ever been found. Although there are many alleged eyewitness accounts claiming that such creatures have been seen, particularly in the balkan countries of Europe. Thus far, though, we have no positive scientific proof that werewolves really exist. Hope they don't. So do I, sergeant. I devoutly hope so. But the case of this young man whose throat was torn out presents some aspects I'd like to investigate. Beginning to see what you're thinking about? I suggest we drive on to the Horton farm. Sergeant. Doesn't seem to be anyone home. The light? Upstairs, out in the parlor. Something goes out at night. How old a man would you say he is? Nobody's coming. Yes? Who is this? Sergeant Moran. People is Doctor Roman. Don't be scared when you see him, professor. He's not too pretty to look at. Sad to disturb you, Mister Horton, but. What do you want? This is Professor Taylor at State University. I'm pleased to be meet you, Mister Horton. Yes, what is it? May we come in? Harry's us going to bed. Well, be just a few minutes after you first. Thank you. But Taylor came down from university to do a little investigating on the Jeff settle case. Mister Horton, like to ask you a few questions. Sick and tired of answering questions. I've told you all I know. What more do you want? And you can explain it better than I can. Pathetic. Go ahead. Yes, of course. Well you see Mister Horton, my investigation is purely scientific. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the police. Now I'm really trying to determine whether the brutal attack on the young man was made by a human or an animal. Or perhaps a combination of both. I don't know what you're talking about. You've heard of werewolves, haven't you Mister Horton? No. And I'm not interested. Told you, I've had enough of questions. Hasn't a man a right to a little privacy? No need to get sore about it, Horton. I don't like being questioned. I don't like to have people barging in on me at all hours of the night. This is my house and I'm going to live in it the way I see fit. Which means without uninvited visitors, of course. Mister Horton, this isn't my intention. And another thing, I own the property. From the county road to the bayou and north to Kurtzill. His past church. You took the time to notice the lands posted. Now this is a warning. The next person, man, woman or child, who sets foot on my land is going to get a load of buckshot. Is that clear? You're in a bad humor tonight, Horton. Never mind my bad humor. Get out, both of you. Get out and stay out. [00:16:37] Speaker E: Lovie like bananas. Fire. Drought. [00:16:40] Speaker A: Julie, what are you doing in the kitchen? Didn't I tell you to stay up in your room? Don't how you dare come down that rear stairway when my back's turned. [00:16:49] Speaker E: I just wanted to find out if you'd asked Andrew about my land. How many were killed. Don't be angry. [00:16:58] Speaker A: I presume that was your sister, Mister Horton. Lovely girl. Good night, gentlemen. Get off my property and don't come back unless you're invited. I'm sorry, professor, looks like we're being asked to leave. It's quite all right. Thank you anyway. Mister Horton. Perhaps some other evening you'll grant me a few minutes of your time. Now you know what sort of a job we had with him. I must say he isn't very sociable. What's a step there not to solid? He said. He doesn't resemble him in the least. Oh, you're rather pretty. Do you hear how he screamed? At it? Yes. Poor child. Might as well head back to town. I guess Walton didn't rise to your bait when you mentioned werewolves. So looks like a hunt will be the next best thing. A hunt, sergeant? Yes. Get a bunch of men together and beat the cypress crows for that bad animal we saw crossing the road. Might even risk going into the swamp. Wolf or whatever it is. I won't be be satisfied unless killed. I'm afraid I feel the same way, sergeant. But before you organize a hunt, I wonder if it's safe to do a little snooping around here first. What do you mean? Something the girl said disturbed me. Something about lambs being killed? That's right. She did say she wanted to know if Horton hired man had told him how many of her lambs were killed. Yes, and that may be significant. Werewolves? I supposedly found a slaughtering sheep. Do you think we might talk with the hired man? Chances are he's over in the barn. He's got a room there built out of a horse dog. Take a look. Might be a good idea. It's over this way. Keep an eye out for Horton. He may come gunning for it. I don't trust him. I wouldn't be too concerned. Men who rant and roar rarely danger. Hold up. What is it? Somebody's hiding behind that bush on your left. All right, come up with your hands up or I'll shoot. Watch your sergeant. Yes, sir. What, Andrew? Hired man. I ain't doing nothing. [00:19:09] Speaker E: Well, mister, I ain't. [00:19:10] Speaker A: Why were you hiding behind that bush? I got skeered. I heard voices in the gravel. What were you doing out here? Buried in the sheep. In the lambs. What was that? Since when do you bury sheep and lambs? Oh, he's got to be. Mister Holton said so. They run afoul of the critter. What critter? Only the Lord knows. We got strange goings on round here. Mighty strange. Always said twas too close to the bayou. Can't help it, them swamps is full of things. Where are you? Burying receipt, Andrew? Right over there. Put him in the duggar. Mister Horton said. Good. Let's have a look at them, sergeant. All right. See, there they are. Four jews of two of Miss Julie's baby lambs, all with their throats torn out. Yeah, it's the critter from the swamps. Same one got Jeff's tuttle. When did this happen, Andrew? The lambs got took night before last. We lost three jews on Sunday and Sunday. One last night. Has it ever happened before? Been going on most two years. Not regular, though. Old months will go by and the critter don't show up. I took a shot at him once. Or did. When was this? Last spring. Seen him behind the pump house. Like to scare me half to death away. His eyes. Glowed like a swamp fire. Wasn't time to draw no beads, Mister McGues. What did he look like, Andrew? Couldn't tell. Too dark. All I seen was his eyes glowing, yelling. Might have been a sheep killing collar, though. One of them wild ones. I very much doubt it. You're thinking of what we saw on the road tonight. A professor, that animal, whatever it was. Yes, if it was an animal. Why do you say that? Just look at these dead sheep. See where I'm placing my lights? Their back legs there. An ordinary animal would have nipped the legs and torn at their rumps. There's not a mark on them, except that their throats. Somebody's coming. The gravel's crunching. Must be Horton. Back down the bush, professor. We don't want him to catch us here. Don't say anything, Andrew. Keep low. Here comes. Passed right on by the bush. How long is it going to take you to get those carcasses? All night. It ain't too easy in the dark, so do better with a landing. I told you, no light. Hand me the other space. I'll help you. Stop shoveling. Kind of like a. Seems to be putting meat underground. How many times must I tell you? It isn't good meat. Poison don't look poison? I say it is. I'm warning you. Shut your mouth about it. You hear that, sergeant? Yes. I'm gonna try to sneak back to the house and talk to the girl. You better come with me. All right. Keep down and follow the path, but stay off the gravel. I've got a hunch we're gonna uncover something tonight. Yes. Perhaps more than we realize. [00:22:29] Speaker E: No. No. I'm afraid if I say anything, he'll kill me. You'd better go. Don't let him find you here. [00:22:37] Speaker A: Now, don't worry about us, Julie. We want to help you. Why does your brother keep you locking the house? [00:22:43] Speaker E: He says it's for my own good. But that's not true. I know why he does it. [00:22:49] Speaker A: Why? [00:22:51] Speaker E: There's something going on, something he doesn't want me to see. Something that isn't human. [00:22:59] Speaker A: What do you mean, Miss Horton? [00:23:01] Speaker E: I can't explain it, but I'm sure he murdered Jeff. I'm sure of it. [00:23:09] Speaker A: There. Then what makes you so sure? Julie, that night. [00:23:15] Speaker E: The night Jeff was killed. [00:23:18] Speaker A: Yes. Go on. [00:23:20] Speaker E: He sent me into the house. He was out there alone with Jeff. It was dark, pitch dark. [00:23:29] Speaker A: Go ahead, Julie. [00:23:31] Speaker E: I heard their voices. My brother was shot in the chest. He said he'd kill him if he didn't get off the property. [00:23:40] Speaker A: I think we'd better get her out of here, sergeant. [00:23:43] Speaker E: No, I can't go. I can't. [00:23:45] Speaker A: Why not, Julie? [00:23:47] Speaker E: He'll father me. He'll do to me what he did to death. [00:23:51] Speaker A: Sergeant, someone's coming. I hear footsteps from the front porch. Eric could get her out the back way. Take her to the car and wait for me there. You know it's back the county road, right at the entrance to the farm. Yes, yes. Welcome, my dear. [00:24:01] Speaker E: I'm afraid. [00:24:02] Speaker A: There's nothing to be afraid of. Everything's going to be be all right. Jodie. Jodie, where are you? She's gone. Horton, what are you doing here? I want to talk to you. Where's my sister? What have you done with her? I told you, she's gone. Where is she? Answer me. Where is she? You don't have to worry. She's safe. Safe? [00:24:22] Speaker E: Safe. [00:24:24] Speaker A: Tell me where she is. Take it easy. She's with Professor Taylor. We're going to take her away from here. You're going to take her away? You're going to take her away? Over my dead body. Put the paint down. Put it. Julie. Julie. [00:24:43] Speaker E: Julie. [00:24:54] Speaker A: Sergeant. Sergeant, wake up. You gotta wake up. Terrible things is happening, sergeant. Please. Please wake up. I hate it. [00:25:04] Speaker E: I hate it. [00:25:05] Speaker A: I tell you, I hate the critter. It's come from the swamp again. What happened, sergeant? It's me, Andrew. We gotta go after it. After what? The critter. I hate it. I howling for blood. Where? Where'd he get out? Near the county road. Good luck. Don't me up. Hurry. Are you sure Horton came this way, Andrew? Yep. I seen him running crazy like. Then I heard the howling. Like a wolf. How? It was all it was. Never heard nothing. Scared me so. Froze my breath. How much further we have to go? Gates? Up ahead. The road just beyond it. Here, you take the flashlight out. Handle the gun. It's looking sharp. Don't worry. Now, there's the gate. It's open. Bring your life. Yeah. Wait. Hold it. Lord demancy. What? Professor Taylor lying in the road and Horton bending over him. He's all covered with blood. Horton. Horton. Get away from him. Get away. All this ahead of us. You got him. Are you all right? Yes, I'm all right. Horton. He's dead. You're bleeding, professor. That's your doctor. No, no. Wait. Wait. Across the road in the bushes, near the cypress grove. What is it? It's the swamp critter. Shoot, sergeant. Shoot into the brush. [00:26:41] Speaker E: Don't let it get away. [00:26:46] Speaker A: Nick has got it. Good. Come on, Andrew. We'll take a look. Coming. Flash your life there in the bushes. Lord Mercy. What is it? It's an animal with a human face. Might be a werewolf. Dead, ain't it? Shot through the haze. Come on back. You were right, professor. Looks like a werewolf. That's what it is. It attacked me. Harden followed off. What? You mean he had nothing to do with it? No, but he knew all the time. He'd known for years. What did he know? The werewolf was his sister Julie. [00:28:03] Speaker B: That was creeps by night. And the episode the Hunt here on the mysterious old radio listening society podcast. Once again, I'm Eric. [00:28:11] Speaker A: I'm Tim. [00:28:11] Speaker C: And I'm Joshua. [00:28:12] Speaker B: And that was my pick this week, bringing us creeps by night. We're doing listener requests for a while, and you're trying to get caught up in those. And then it was, oh, you gotta find a holiday themed one. And then it was a Thanksgiving kind of theme month. You know, we have these themes, and it's been a while since. It's like, go out and find anything you want. And I started listening to creeps by night. I immediately texted you guys and said, have we done one of these on the podcast? And you guys said, no. And I went, great. So I started listening to it, and I am absolutely ecstatic. I loved them so much that it was hard for me to choose the hunt. It was like, which of these am I going to bring? I have not made through all seven that are in existence. I made it through the three of them. I hope the other four are that great. I do want to qualify something that was in the opening. They believe that there were 23 episodes planned. It's unknown if all 23 were written. They have tracked down via newspaper ads and things like that. They did a lot of work on this show on digital deli, and they came up with, I think, twelve that they can absolutely say these aired. And here are the names of those shows. Could be up to 18 were written, maybe 23, but there seems to be the idea that 23 were at least planned before Boris said, that's enough of this. And then Doctor X took over the last four episodes completely. And to digress again, I know I've been talking for like, 40 minutes now. Just the other day, my wife listened to Cat wife, and we had a discussion about that but the discussion that was really interesting was her saying, I never really realized how great of an actor Boris Karloff is and how much credit he does not get in the general public sense. Like, oh, that was Frankenstein. And he did a bunch of goofy movies, and then he was the Grinch voice. But the reality is he's phenomenal. And it's another reason I got really attracted to creeps by night, especially the hunt that has Karloff in it. So that being said, I've been really excited for about a week to hear what you guys thought because I super enjoyed this new series that I'd never heard. [00:30:28] Speaker C: Two things. One, I think we were wrong when we texted you. I'm pretty sure we have listened to one. Creeps by night. Wasn't it the burial of Jordan somebody or other, in case there's some sort of nerds out there who go, actually, our body of work is so massive, we're like George RR Martin and we've lost track of our own mythology. We need someone else to keep track of it. [00:30:48] Speaker A: Right. [00:30:49] Speaker B: That is the burial of Andrew Jordan or whatever it was. [00:30:52] Speaker A: Gosh, you're right. [00:30:52] Speaker C: But it featured Doctor X. It didn't feature Boris Karloff. [00:30:56] Speaker B: Okay, now I remember. [00:30:57] Speaker C: And also, it was funny because when I heard this, I immediately went, oh, Eric has chosen this episode to show us a good example of a radio play turning a woman into an animal. Featuring Boris Carlos. [00:31:10] Speaker D: This is like a direct. [00:31:11] Speaker C: This is Eric's direct revolt to Cat wife is how I interpreted it. [00:31:17] Speaker B: There is something specific I am bringing this for, and it's not that I am making a point with this. There is a thing that I love in horror and suspense when it has an adventure quality to it. Like adventures by Morse or I love mystery. Oh, Carlton E. Morse. But yes, there's a scary thing happening and the suspense going on, but it's got this sense of Indiana Jones kind of adventure to it. Does that make sense, what I'm trying to say? [00:31:48] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. I suddenly have an aha moment when you say that about why you liked it so much. The professor had this very appealing, unflappable quality that when you say Carlton E. Morse, it reminds me of those guys that just. Whatever strange stuff happens, he's just calm and like, this is the next thing we're gonna do. [00:32:04] Speaker D: Proactively go forward into this horror mystery and try to. [00:32:08] Speaker B: We're gonna solve this. Even though it's terrifying. Like, it's their job now. And I love a mystery. It was their job. But in this, it isn't their job. They're not detectives of the supernatural, but it feels like, you know, we were just watching and I'm so embarrassed. But the national treasure movies. I know. [00:32:28] Speaker D: No, no, it's like saltwater taffy. [00:32:30] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:32:31] Speaker C: It gets in your teeth and it's really annoying. [00:32:33] Speaker D: You go to a tourist spot and like, oh, there's saltwater taffy here and everywhere. Oh, man. Everyone. [00:32:38] Speaker B: Some taffy. Da Vinci code movies. I love, you know, I just. There's a sense of not only solving a mystery that could be supernatural or grotesque, but they're on an adventure at the same time. [00:32:50] Speaker C: I think it's because there's an expert who enters the story. [00:32:53] Speaker B: That could be it. [00:32:54] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:32:54] Speaker C: I think that's the quality that reminds me of Carlton E. Morse, now that you say it. [00:32:58] Speaker B: But also the unflappable. It's not like devil Doctor. [00:33:01] Speaker A: Oh. [00:33:02] Speaker C: Where everyone's running around in circles screaming, yeah. [00:33:05] Speaker B: Everybody's like, what? [00:33:07] Speaker C: Let's go in the hall. We're in the hole. Close that door. Open that door. Close that door. [00:33:13] Speaker D: That is an adventure. [00:33:15] Speaker B: It's the idea that they're okay with solving this and figuring this out and the calmness of it, I guess. I don't know. What did you think, Tim? [00:33:23] Speaker D: That first scene with the sister and her suitor and the exposition, I was. [00:33:29] Speaker B: Just so like, I love this. [00:33:32] Speaker D: This is my favorite sort of horror thing of like, you are in the middle of something dangerous. They're talking about this brother who's got his moods, and there's a thing that comes out of the swamp and it just moves so fast and there's so much going on. So it would have been very hard for me to not like this after that. And then there's the immediate sort of in my head, it was like psycho esque twist of the character you've been watching for the first bit of this, getting to know and be comfortable with. Dies, right? He's gone. [00:34:00] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:34:00] Speaker B: That was fascinating. [00:34:01] Speaker D: Pretty sophisticated move, I thought. [00:34:02] Speaker B: Actually, I was not expecting that. If you don't mind, can we just. Because I've been so excited, can we just jump to the end? Did you like it or didn't you? Did you like the twist? Did you see it coming? Did you do it? [00:34:13] Speaker C: Oh, I saw it coming. This was like an Emmy for me. And so, I mean, your enthusiasm is really contagious. I'm like, oh, I want to like this more now. Cause Eric's so excited. But that, for me, the second scene in the police headquarters where they reiterated for a second time that Loomis never lets his sister out of the house. I went, oh, well, she's. [00:34:34] Speaker B: I see. [00:34:35] Speaker C: She's the monster or werewolf. There was a moment where I was really excited. I thought it was like a were gator. So that I had this totally unfair disappointment when I went, oh, it's just a werewolf. [00:34:46] Speaker B: The red herring worked on me. [00:34:48] Speaker C: What was the red herring? [00:34:49] Speaker B: Losing Karloff, not letting his, the sister out of the house. Like he was this crazy, terrible person that I thought he was holding her against her will and I should have known better. It was too obvious. [00:35:01] Speaker D: Yeah. Also, that was like, she's the werewolf and he's. Which in part, it's the structure of many werewolf stories of a werewolf is never the one in charge. The werewolf is always kind of out of control. So if you have someone who is sort of dominating figure, that's not the werewolf. [00:35:17] Speaker B: Right. [00:35:18] Speaker C: Just a pro tip for everybody. Yeah. [00:35:22] Speaker D: I really enjoyed this, you know, even seeing those steps of the plot coming. And I enjoyed it so much that the things that it jumped out at me are so petty and wonderful that I have to share with you the things that jumped out at me. She is 17 and her brother is 45. 46. [00:35:39] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:35:40] Speaker D: That's so fair enough. Fair enough. And they look nothing alike. These three things were all pointed out. Are you implying something? What are we saying about this brother sister? [00:35:53] Speaker B: Never heard that. I mean, I know I thought it was weird. [00:35:56] Speaker C: That implication again, it felt like a red herring, but I wasn't sure what it was trying to make me suspect. [00:36:02] Speaker D: Yeah, I mean, are they just step siblings? [00:36:05] Speaker A: Is that. [00:36:05] Speaker C: It's jacking up. Is this just a girl he caught? I mean, yeah. [00:36:10] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:36:11] Speaker D: I had to go back a couple times, like they specifically said the age of both of them, and it was pretty big difference. [00:36:16] Speaker C: It's the bayou. I don't know what that means. [00:36:19] Speaker B: There goes our bayou, listeners. We lost all 14 of them. Nothing else to do in the swamp but listen to podcasts Joshua and their considerably older siblings. Going back to what Tim said, I thought it was a really fascinating choice. When the boyfriend gets it. [00:36:40] Speaker C: I agree. Holding it. [00:36:40] Speaker B: There goes our hero. [00:36:42] Speaker C: It's one of those scripts where for me, it was cursed by its opening. That opening was so good and it subverted expectations so well that the rest of it just didn't live up for me. [00:36:55] Speaker B: What about the performance? I thought the performances were really great in something that could have come off as accidentally funny or goofy. [00:37:03] Speaker A: I did. [00:37:03] Speaker D: Every once in a while, I could hear Karloff come through and the phrase that load a buckshot that's not bayou talk there. That's Karloff. [00:37:14] Speaker B: Right. Especially if you would have rhymed it. [00:37:17] Speaker D: There was also the weird phrase. And again, I say these things not to sound critical, but because I enjoyed it so that the odd little moments really jumped out of me, of when he yells at his sister for creeping down the weird stairs behind him. [00:37:30] Speaker C: Was it weird or was it rear stair? Rear. [00:37:33] Speaker B: Oh, that makes so much more sense. [00:37:35] Speaker C: I went back a couple times because the exposition was weird. He told the audience spatially where everyone was, but I interpreted it as weird stairs first. And it was like, whoa. Like Mc Escher designed their house. But then I went back and I thought rear stairs to emphasize that she snuck up behind him. I could be wrong, but that's what I heard. [00:37:55] Speaker B: Exposition. That you just said too much exposition. I have a note here about how much I love the writing of this. There is a great moment that captures for me how much I love how this is written. And that is for no reason at all. It doesn't advance the plot. And there's no need for us to know this. But he says, watch your step, it's not too solid. And it immediately paints this picture of how broken down the shack is. And I think that's just a beautiful radio drama, experienced writer moment to help us and not say, the shack was really broken down and give us all that. Just say, watch your step, it's not too solid. And all of a sudden my mind snapped and everything kind of changed in where we were and I found that beautiful. Those little subtle things are what makes a great radio drama writer. And just that line of exposition that is unnecessary but really helps us where Karloff and his very young sister are living. [00:38:57] Speaker D: Yeah, it does both. It establishes the scene and does the exhibition work. But it also is a realistic thing to say. It's conversation you would have with a person on a realistic topic. So it does double duty. [00:39:10] Speaker C: Yeah. One of the things I really liked about it that I just felt was creepy was the burying the tainted sheep. [00:39:17] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:39:17] Speaker B: And it was so odd. Like, why are you burying them? And such an interesting thing to be doing. Also, Joshua, the idea that when they realized the sheeps, the sheeps, that they only have their throats torn out, they. [00:39:33] Speaker D: Hadn'T been eaten, bitten on the leg. [00:39:35] Speaker C: They had no tears on their rump. [00:39:37] Speaker A: Right. [00:39:38] Speaker C: I had a little childish moment. Rump bites. [00:39:44] Speaker B: Julie. Speaking of her being 17, in act three, a weird thing happens, which might have been accidental, but it became a red herring because all of a sudden in act three, she sounds like, she's 90. It came across to me, like, oh, maybe she's actually 300 years old. Like, there's some other thing coming. And so there was this weird moment where I was down another pathway because why is she talking like the witch in witch's tail? Really old? [00:40:14] Speaker C: There's this weird realization that he keeps her locked up all the time. And then we later realize, oh. Cause she's a werewolf. But he apparently does a terrible job of it because she's killing all these sheep. She's getting out all the time. Everyone's seeing her. [00:40:27] Speaker B: It's a rickety old shack. It's got big, giant holes that she can scurry through. [00:40:35] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:40:35] Speaker C: And it's interesting it doesn't explore too much more of the werewolf myths. I don't mean this as a criticism, just an observation. Like, we don't know what transforms her. They mentioned something like when she has one of her spasms, when they talk. [00:40:47] Speaker D: To the servant guy, he specifically mentions, like, we'll lose these sheep and it'll stop for a month, sort of with. [00:40:55] Speaker C: The moon lunar cycle. Yes. Nice. I missed it totally. [00:40:58] Speaker B: I love that. Descriptions of, like, give me a word. Like anthropy, lycanthropy. Thank you. I like that description that made it seem for a moment that, oh, werewolves possibly could be real. People could not only think that they're an animal, but they might take on the actual physical manifestations of an animal if they believe it enough. And I know it's not real, but it gave it that this could happen kind of moment. And I love that as well. [00:41:25] Speaker C: I had to laugh at the end, though, because Loomis is a tragic figure here, and no one takes time to mourn him. They shoot him dead accidentally, even though they've just found out, oh, he's not this monster. He's been protecting his sister. He's been protecting all of the residents around his farm and area, like, oh, shot him dead. [00:41:44] Speaker D: Well, at least those sheep will be okay. [00:41:47] Speaker B: What was the episode we did with the female werewolf a long time ago? [00:41:53] Speaker C: I think it was just Cypress Canyon. [00:41:55] Speaker D: No, no, it's the little kids get adopted by her. [00:41:58] Speaker A: Yes. [00:41:58] Speaker C: Oh, it's a weird circle. [00:42:00] Speaker A: Is it? [00:42:01] Speaker C: Yes. [00:42:01] Speaker B: But we talked specifically about how the original short story was one of the first and only times that someone took the werewolf mythology and made it a female, which is another reason I love the end of this, which means this. [00:42:15] Speaker C: Twist may have been more surprising in its time than it was to a modern ear. [00:42:20] Speaker D: I'll be sure to put a link to whatever episode that was when I mock us for not being able to remember it in the post on the website. [00:42:27] Speaker B: We're on 119 in our fifties. [00:42:31] Speaker C: Hey, I'm not there yet. Back off. [00:42:33] Speaker B: You are in your eighties. Mentally. [00:42:38] Speaker C: True. [00:42:39] Speaker B: Just so you guys know, the editing in this is crazy for Joshua's naps. [00:42:47] Speaker C: It's just so warm in here. [00:42:49] Speaker B: We look over well, anybody else have anything they want to discuss about this episode before we go to the vote? [00:43:00] Speaker C: No, nothing. [00:43:01] Speaker B: I would like to vote first. I find it just beautiful. I cannot wait to listen to the remaining episodes. Of course it's going to kill me because every time I find something I love, it's not the lone ranger or suspense. Where there's 8 million of them still surviving, there's only seven and I'm going to be really upset. Although, and this is a total side note, we just found out this last two weeks they found two more. I love a mysteries or three more. [00:43:25] Speaker A: Three more. [00:43:26] Speaker B: I love a mysteries, which is very exciting, but it's really disappointing when you love something that much. And I think I would have been really disappointed had I been alive then and listening to this. And it got canceled after twelve episodes. But I adored this. I love the writing. I like everything. I find it to be standing the test of time. Absolutely. I'm not so sure it's a classic because there's a lot of tropes going on and it's just a werewolf story with a pretty simple twist, even though it got me, but that's not hard to do. But I just loved the execution of this a lot. [00:44:06] Speaker D: I think it really stands to test its time. The story itself is very simple and what really makes it stand out is particularly that opening is so smart and the characterization and the performances, there's just some nice little flourishes and twists on what is otherwise a pretty meat and potatoes werewolf story. [00:44:25] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm gonna totally cheat and split my vote. I think it's the small details that stand the test of time that make this interesting and fun to listen to. I think the the plot itself is more of historical interest for female werewolf and what were twists and surprised listeners in the 1940s. I was a little disappointed by the plot, but I found Eric's enthusiasm incredibly contagious. And it does point out that we all forgive certain things for different reasons. The aesthetic approach to this story pushed all of your guys joy buttons and it didn't push mine. And I have countless examples of things that are predictable and pretty straightforward stories that the trappings of it just make me happy beyond belief. This one didn't do that for me, but I think it's a really solid werewolf story. [00:45:24] Speaker B: I love just having fun, whether it be all time radio or movies or any kind of entertainment. You can say whatever you want and push your glasses up about any Marvel movie, but they're all so fun. They're just fun. The new Star Trek Discovery I've been reading online that apparently I'm wrong. Everybody's mad at it, but I find it so fun. And I found this just exquisitely fun. [00:45:50] Speaker C: Don't get me wrong, cat wife is way better. All right, well, it's only funny because I'm serious. [00:46:01] Speaker B: Thank you so much for listening again, everybody. Tim, tell them stuff. [00:46:05] Speaker D: Please go visit ghoulishdelights.com. That is the home of this podcast. You'll find other episodes there, including the ones we can't remember. You can comment on individual episodes. You can leave a message for us on a contact page. You can reach us through social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. You can just email us, for heaven's sake. What do you want? [00:46:26] Speaker C: Clean out your window and shout at us. We'll hear you. [00:46:30] Speaker B: We're right here. [00:46:32] Speaker C: You can also go to iTunes and write a review because we love reviews. We'd love more reviews. I think we're really close to 100 reviews ratings when you combine those two. So please help us push to 100. That would be awesome. And also go to patreon.com themorals and support this podcast. We've got a lot of fun rewards for members at different levels, and we love to have support because we're old and we need a lot of support stuff sagging. [00:47:04] Speaker D: It's really. [00:47:05] Speaker C: It's really unfortunate. It's a good thing we're doing a podcast so you can't see us. [00:47:09] Speaker B: Joshua just fell asleep. All right, coming up next, it's our Valentine's Day annual treat as we bring in one of our wives. [00:47:24] Speaker D: It's always funny when we have to say that we're bringing in one of our many wives. We have selected from our copious collection of wives, my wife Wendy, who will be bringing in client Mike Tully from the series defense attorney. Until then, without an ordinary animal would. [00:47:44] Speaker A: Have nipped their legs and torn at their rumps. Rump.