Creature Features is a generic title for a genre of horror TV format shows broadcast on local American television stations throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The movies broadcast on these shows were generally classic and cult horror movies of the 1930s to 1950s, the horror and science-fiction films of the 1950s, British horror films of the 1960s, and the Japanese kaiju "giant monster" movies of the 1950s to 1970s. Screen Gems In October 1957, Screen Gems released a bundle of old Universal horror movies to syndicated television, naming the collection "Shock!". They encouraged the use of hosts for the broadcasts. This is why many of the early programs were called "Shock Theater". Viewers loved the package, as well as the concept, and ratings soared. A "Son of Shock!" package was released in 1958. Creature Features was another film package that was released in the early 1960s and added to in the 1970s. The films in this package ranged from horror and science-fiction films of the 1950s, British horror films of the 1960s, and the Japanese "giant monster" movies of the 1960s, and 1970s. This package also included an uncut print of Night of the Living Dead The movies Creature Features normally showed all the classic Universal Horror movies from the 1930s and 1940s, like Dracula, Frankenstein, and others. Several old RKO films like King Kong, Son of Kong, and the original Mighty Joe Young were also included. They aired all the movies produced and distributed by American International Pictures, including all the Roger Corman B-movies of the 1950s and 1960s such as The Raven and The Terror, plus most of the Japanese "monster movies" produced by Toho Studios, and Daiei Motion Picture Company (famous for their Godzilla and Gamera movies). They broadcast all the best British horror films by Hammer Film Productions, like The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, The Phantom of the Opera, The Curse of the Werewolf, and The Hound of the Baskervilles. Later, during the 1970s, the films of Amicus Productions and Tigon British Film Productions, which included Dr. Terror's House of Horrors and The House That Dripped Blood, became popular features on the shows. Creature Features also aired many "nuclear monster" and "space alien" science fiction movies. Created in the 1950s, these movies generally featured giant mutant monsters or aliens from outer space terrorizing Earth. These included Attack of the 50 Foot Woman,