Local filmmakers chronicle the story behind “The Hilarious House of Frightenstein”

A pair of film makers produced a documentary about “The Hilarious House of Frightenstein” — a cult classic children’s show that aired right here on CHCH starting in 1971.

Saturday, their project titled “Behind the Castle Doors” is launching at the 20th annual Hamilton Film Festival.

When Mitch Markowitz and his late brother Riff first pitched The Hilarious House of Frightenstein to CHCH executives back in 1971, they had no idea their show would be such a hit.

“We thought we were going to shoot 130 hour long episodes and it would run over the course of a year, then it would die and go to television heaven. But it didn’t work out that way,” said Markowitz.

But back then it was in living rooms across the country – and that’s when film makers Tammy Heisel and Morgan Baker first fell in love with the quirky children’s show.

“I was a huge fan as a kid and the opportunity came up and I grabbed it with Morgan. And we wanted this so we made it happen. Took a while but we made it happen,” said Heisel.

“For nostalgia. I mean, we wanted to make this because it celebrated a part of our childhood and for me, personally, a nostalgic part of when television used to be a big part of a community,” said Baker.

Over a span of three years, the two created a documentary called “Behind the Castle Doors: The Origin of The Hilarious House of Frightenstein.” It is launching at the 20th annual Hamilton Film Festival in Ancaster.

“This is our passion project for the past three years. And it’s just an incredible experience. We’re so lucky and so excited for it to be premiering. It’s like a homecoming coming to Hamilton,” said Heisel.

“The shows that originated from here that you grew up watching, and took pride in the talent that came from the area that you were in, it just made it all very exciting to look back on,” said Baker.

Baker credits Mitch Markowitz for keeping the cult classic on the air around the world.

“Mitch, he keeps that show alive — visiting the different conventions, talking to people and sharing stories. And so, he keeps it in the forefront,” said Baker.

The Hamilton Film Festival started Friday and runs through Oct. 26.

The film premieres Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ancaster Memorial Arts Centre and will be followed by a Q&A with Mitch Markowitz.

WATCH MORE: Riff Markowitz, CHCH television trailblazer, dies at age 86