American Scary on AllMovie

Take a trip back to a time when late night creature features were all the rage, and the personalities that presented them were nearly as popular as the movies, in this documentary about the uniquely American phenomenon of television horror hosting. Beginning in the 1950s, the horror host was a staple of regional television. From ghouls to vampires, to werewolves and crypt keepers, every host had a persona to suit their unique personalities. But their days were numbered, because as the local television business model began to shift thanks to production demands and the availability of cheaper syndicated material, Zacherley, Vampira, Ghoulardi, and the rest of these fiends began steadily disappearing from the small screen. Interviews with the hosts themselves, and the fans that elevated them to superstar status offer a chance to reflect on a bygone era of television that now appears poised for a comeback thanks to the internet and cable access.