MovieChat Forums > The Monster Club (1981) Discussion > Richard Johnson

Richard Johnson

posted 9 years ago by richwicz
4 replies | jump to latest

I can't believe Richard Johnson appeared in this tame horror comedy a year after appearing in Lucio Fulci's splatter classic, Zombie Flesh-Eaters. That's not to say I don't find The Monster Club quite entertaining, as I do. It's just that it's a pretty bloodless flick for the year it was released. Its style is more akin to early 70s Amicus films like Asylum and The Vault of Horror. I'm guessing Richard Johnson did both flicks for the pay packet, and with 'Flesh-Eaters' the chance to travel to NYC and the Caribbean.

[–] FeydRautha 9 years ago

An actor friend of mine once told me, Never slam an actor for appearing in a certain production because you don't know the story behind his/her choices. They could have multiple mortgages, kids to put through college, gambling debts, you name it.

A good example of this is another Monster Club alum, Donald Pleasence. In the 80's he took a lot of work in some real craparama, because he and his wife wanted to retire someplace warm that also gave residential tax breaks. They found a beautiful villa overlooking a harbour in Spain; he went out and earned the spondoolies to buy it.

It's also possible Mr. Johnson took this gig for the Fun Factor. It must have been a blast playing a vampire who gets his own back on vampire hunters. They rolled out a lot of cliches in this segment.

DAD!! Tom Cruise won't come out of the closet!!! 

[–] ElectricWarlock 9 years ago

It's sad to hear he died quite recently. He will be missed.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] richwicz 9 years ago

Richard Johnson definitely had the looks to play 007. He was a better actor than Sean Connery too.