Actress Desiree Gould's portrayal of Aunt Martha in Robert Hiltzik's Sleepaway Camp is well remembered by horror fans. She has appeared in the TV movie You Can't Go Home Again (1979), as Norma in director Dave Campfield's Dark Chamber (2007), the short Caesar and Otto Meet Dracula's Daughter (2010) and the forthcoming anthology Tales of Poe (2012). Her work includes commercials and small parts in several soap operas, among them All My Children, One Life To Live and The Edge of Night. She has graced the stage Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway, and has given performances in productions of The Taming of the Shrew, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Witch. These days, in addition to acting, Gould also works in real estate in New York City.

I have to tell you, during this season, there has always been one movie that I go to so I can get into the mood. That film is definitely Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, Rear Window (1954).  

There is something frighteningly ominous about the story, considering that only just recently, I made a connection to it that I never realized before in all the years that I’ve seen it growing up.  

The lead character is L.B. Jeffries, played by the amazingly talented James Stewart, whom I have adored my whole life. He is a photographer with a broken leg and confined to a wheelchair the entire film. Through the long lens of his camera, he sneeks a peek at all of his neighbors in the building across from his, and gives them pet names based on what he sees them doing.  

I never realized how utterly CREEPY and STALKERISH this man really is! I never wanted to believe that Stewart could be looking in on my every move at ANY time!  

But the most brilliant thing about this picture is that when the character of Jeffries is snooping in on these people, we see what he sees through his camera lens. WE are actually experiencing the things he is experiencing at exactly the same time. It always gave me a creepy feeling every time I watched it, and like I said, only NOW do I get it!  

Additionally, Rear Window takes you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat!  A real thrill ride!

The other thing I LOVE about this movie, and all of Hitchcock’s films, is the casting. The beautiful Grace Kelly is just so lovely to watch. Hitchcock was also smart in casting Jimmy Stewart as the “Everyman”, the character that we, as the audience, can relate to. 

Stewart and Hitchcock made four great movies together, but I also think back to all the excellent work that the dashing Cary Grant, not to mention the gorgeous Tippi Hedren, brought to the screen in wonderful thrillers like The Birds and North by Northwest, for example.

Lastly, I just wanted to say to Dan and Jason of The Terror Trap directly...how nice of you two to think about me, and let me prattle out my two cents to talk about one of my all-time favorite movies during my favorite time of year. I love you to pieces!

And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!