Inside One Of Hollywood's Most Famous Wurlitzer Pipe Organs

LAist writer Tim Greiving writes about the Wurlitzer Pipe Organ that shaped The Sound of Music and The House with a Clock in its Walls:

'House' Has Potential for a Universal Franchise #HouseWithAClock

Comic Book Resources (CBR) reports that with the weekend success of "The House with a Clock in its Walls" that Universal Pictures may have stumbled onto its own low-key answer to some sort of franchise.  After all, they point out, there are a dozen novels in the series - from both Bellairs and Brad Strickland:

'House' Wins Box Office with $26.9M

Congratulations are in order for director Eli Roth, writer Eric Kripk, and the entire cast and crew as USA Today reports "The House with a Clock in its Walls" won the weekend box office:

The Gothic family fantasy film exceeded expectations to debut with an estimated $26.9 million in ticket sales at the weekend box office, while audiences showed considerably less interest in Michael Moore's documentary, "Fahrenheit 11/9."  "House" was easily the biggest draw on a quiet weekend at movie theaters, where the other three new wide releases all disappointed or outright flopped.

Fatherly: ‘House’ Seems Like It Wants a Sequel (#FigureInTheShadows)

Alicia Kort at Fatherly writes that the new adaptation of "House" seems like it wants to setup a potential sequel:

For a second, the new creepy children’s movie starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett looked like it might be kicking off a kid’s horror franchise, but as Lewis Barnavelt’s Magic 8-Ball would say “Don’t count on it.”

So, for now, there isn’t any big post-credits scene or ending to tease a sequel — the next book in this series is called The Figure in the Shadows — but don’t expect a new movie with that title to come out anytime soon. Which is too bad, really, these books are great, and the new film is worth your time, too. A sequel could still happen, of course, it just depends on how everyone likes this movie.

NY Post: Roth Goes from Gore to Gorey

Johnny Oleksinsk writes in the New York Post (Sept. 20) about Eli Roth's Edward Gorey-influenced scenes and characters in his adaptation of The House with a Clock in its Walls:

The director of frightful flicks such as “Hostel” and “Death Wish” has his first family film, “The House With a Clock in Its Walls,” out Friday. The movie is based on the 1973 novel by John Bellairs with drawings by famed illustrator Edward Gorey. Interpreting that late artist’s work for the screen was a childhood dream come true for Roth, a superfan. “Edward Gorey is my favorite,” Roth tells The Post. “I have Gorey art all over my house. I’ve found original prints, original drawings of his. I knew instantly the Gothic style.”

Marshall Celebrates Premiere of #HouseWithAClock

WWMT-TV shares some scenes of the Marshall debut of "House" on Friday night:

Marshall Rolls Out the Red Carpet for #HouseWithAClock

Kalea Hall writes in the Battle Creek Enquirer (Sept. 21) about the festivities taking place at the 146-year-old Cronin Mansion in Marshall:

How 'House' Led To All Things 'Supernatural' #HouseWithAClock

Entertainment Weekly discusses how 10-year-old Eric Kripke discovered The House With a Clock in Its Walls as a child and how it led to other Supernatural things:

Variety: 'House' Ticks at Box Office Friday

Variety reports that "The House With a Clock in Its Walls” is ticking to a U.S. opening of $20 million-plus, early estimates showed on Friday:

Publishers Weekly Celebrates "House"

Matia Burnett at Publishers Weekly provides some background on John Bellairs and the forthcoming movie:

Before there was “The Boy Who Lived,” there was Lewis Barnavelt, a 10-year-old orphan who brushed shoulders with wizards, witches, sorcerers, ghosts, and his share of occultists. With the film adaptation of John Bellairs’s 1973 novel, The House with a Clock in Its Walls, releasing on September 21, a new generation of readers will have the opportunity to discover Bellairs’s storytelling. The film stars Owen Vaccaro (Daddy’s Home), Jack Black (Goosebumps) and Cate Blanchett (Ocean's 8), and is directed by Eli Roth (Cabin Fever), marking the horror director’s first “family-friendly” film.

In 2011, Bradley J. Fischer and James Vanderbilt of Mythology Entertainment approached screenwriter Eric Kripke (creator of "Supernatural") for the film project. As a child of the 1980s, Kripke was very familiar with Bellairs. Kripke recently told Entertainment Weekly that “when I was 10, I fell in love with this book.” In fact, the only fan letter Kripke ever wrote as a child was to Bellairs.

Thanks, Matia!

B&N: Opening the Doorway for a Generation of Dark Fantasy Readers

Here's a rare post this week not about the upcoming film adaption of The House with -- you know the rest.  Jeff Somers praises John Bellairs at the Barnes and Noble Sci-Fi and Fantasy blog, noting the novels:

...recognize that kids can handle being scared, and don’t need to be coddled. They capture the spirit of youth without condescending to it, and have continued to do so even as the middle grade and young adult markets have matured—for many in a later generation of readers, Bellairs’ books filled the Potter-sized hole in their hearts after that series ended.

Somers goes on to give his take on a Bellairs top ten ... with the book the adaptation is based on leading the way at number one. What books make up your ten favorite John Bellairs books?

Film News: FemaleFirst Fan Finds

FemaleFirst is giving away a merchandise bundle to fans in the UK to celebrate "The House With A Clock In Its Walls".  The bundle includes a mystic ball, an alarm clock, a projection torch, a t-shirt and a Spellbook style notebook. The contest closes Sept. 24.

Film News: Public Invited to Free “House” Magical Escape Experience

Off the news wire for those in California this and next weekend:

Before Amblin Entertainment's spine-tingling, magical adventure opens in theaters, journey inside The House with a Clock in Its Walls as it comes to life before your eyes. Experience magic and puzzles as you explore movie props and special effects before you ultimately escape. The experience is safe for kids, but will include a few light scares from the house itself.

Where

• The Americana at Brand, Store #837
• Near the corner of S. Brand Blvd. and Americana Way
• Glendale, CA, 91210

When

• Weekends of Sept. 14 -16, and 21 - 23, 2018
• Hours: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Film News: Eli Roth, Horologist

Director Eli Roth has a "weird clock obsession" - which made him the ideal candidate to direct the horror film, "The House With A Clock In Its Walls."

Film News: Eli Roth has 'House' sequel 'ready'

Are fans ready for more Lewis Barnavelt? Eli Roth has a story "ready" for a  The House with a Clock in its Walls sequel, according to Celebretainment:

Film News: Roth, Black and the "Black Satanic Goat"

Celebretainment reports 'House' director Eli Roth let loose a "black satanic goat" to trash Jack Black's trailer during the filing filming of The House with a Clock in Its Walls:

Film News: 'House' Leads Studio Television Ad Spending

If you've been seeing a lot of Lewis Barnavelt recently there's a reason.  Variety reports  that Universal Pictures claims the top spot in television spending with The House With a Clock in Its Walls:

#HousewithaclockReadalong Happening This Month

Author and blogger and Richard Denney is celebrating John Bellairs again this month.  Richard and friends are reading - what else? - The House with a Clock in its Walls to celebrate the upcoming film in just a mere 15 days.  That's around 1,296,000 ticks to go! Not that we're counting - or reusing that joke again.  Share your thoughts with Richard and friends...happy reading, all.

Film News: Jack Black on childhood, magic and Cate Blanchett

Michael Idato of The Sydney Morning Herald interviews actor Jack Black about his childhood, his love of science fiction, and more:

Film News: Black Tackling ‘Scary Side of Kids’ Cinema’

In an interview with Film News UK, Jack Black discusses his role of Jonathan Barnavelt:

The Tenacious D frontman is prepared for inevitable comparisons to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise due to the film’s notes of “wizardry and witchcraft”. The House with a Clock in Its Walls is also based on a book of the same name, the first in an 11-part (sic) series, however, Jack admitted he was unfamiliar with the 1973 novel by John Bellairs until he won the role.

“I didn’t know the books. But I quickly read this book when I got the part,” he shared. “I was a big fan of (the book’s illustrator) Edward Gorey’s, so it was cool to see a collaboration between him and another writer. And yeah, I really dug it. And I really dug what the screenwriter did in the adaptation (sic).”

Film News: Jackson’s 'Thriller 3D’ to Play on IMAX Screens with ‘House'

The Associated Press reports that Michael Jackson’s estate and the IMAX company are partnering to digitally remaster Michael Jackson’s Thriller 3D for a special theatrical presentation ahead of director Eli Roth’s The House with a Clock in Its Walls.

Film News: The New Shocking Is Doing a PG Movie

At an editing bay on the Universal Studios lot recently, director Eli Roth screened scenes from The House With a Clock in Its Walls for Chris Lea of Vulture and the two chatted about why Roth wanted to do a kids’ film now: