shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Oct 14, 2019 3:21:00 GMT -5
Insomnia tonight, so I decided to take in another film. I was looking for the old dark house film where the head servant sleeps in a coffin. Aha! It was The Black Cat (1941). I guess I always forget the name of this one because I confuse it with the 1934 film of the same name, also with Bela Lugosi in it. Well, Lugosi's role is far less significant in this unrelated film by the same name, and yet I rank this among my Top 3 favorite old dark house films, along with The Cat and the Canary (1920) and The Old Dark House (1932). This film is far less artistic than the other two, but it's also a lot more FUN with a strong cast, well written characters, and a mystery you really can't call until the end. But Abigail, the creepy house servant, is my favorite aspect of the film, hands-down. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 14, 2019 6:23:22 GMT -5
This is a new one for me Kuroneko 1968, Toho Don't get me wrong, I love browsing the racks at Barnes and Noble for new reads but I always stop off in the movie section first to check out the Criterion DVD's they stock as they are just an amazing way to explore films and this one was no exception. Ghosts and Samurai in one film? That seemed like a great pick for me and it was even better than I expected as it was so much more than a simple match up ofthose genres. Sure it had a great atmosphere like I expect in a good horror film, and it had some solid samurai sword play as well but what I really loved was the look into Japanese folklore the film provided with it's great explanations of the ghosts of the murdered mother and daughter in law and the Japanese concept of the underworld. On top of that there was a fantastically done love story which I wasn't expecting to like as much as I did, you really felt for the two lovers in their supernatural predicament and the end it led them was well earned and wonderfully shot.
Grade:10/10 |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2019 10:09:42 GMT -5
Doctor Jekyll and Sister Hyde
1971 Movie This is a very strange horror movie with a take on Jack the Ripper and problems that the female side of the story gotten stronger and stronger and eventually it's comes on its own. I find this movie involving the killing of young girls (Ripper tendencies) and that alone causes Doctor Jekyll to be extra careful of not getting caught. Sister Hyde being played by Martine Beswick commands the screen more and more as the film progress and becomes more and more murderous and that led to the death of Professor Robertson that is played by Gerald Sim. The ending of this movie was so disfigured as Doctor Jekyll and Sister Hyde in bizarre amalgamation of male and female that shows that Doctor Jekyll and Sister Hyde are the same person. It's a nice pace of a film and rightly so and the sad thing that more and more Professor Robertson questions Doctor Jekyll it's ultimately led to his death. It's a pretty simple movie to follow and it's really should been called Dr Jekyll / Jack the Ripper / Sister Hyde because Doctor Jekyll is a murderous rampage of double evil and eventually triple evil in the due part as the movie progresses.  Lovely and Deadly Sister Hyde being played by Martine Beswick.
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Post by Hoosier X on Oct 14, 2019 10:36:03 GMT -5
My grading companions for the evening: Murder by Television (1935)How weird to do a murder mystery where the solution, revealed at the end after tremendous build-up, is in the title of the film. Ah, the days when television was this revolutionary new technology, though I doubt folks bought the far-fetched premise of this film even then. Bela's in it, of course (playing identical twin brothers, actually), but it's not a very memorable role for him. OMG! Murder by Television! Not only Bela Lugosi but also Hattie McDaniel! I saw this on VHS a million years ago and it was a very badly chewed up print with a few choppy transitions where there’s frames missing .. and there’s a scene where Hattie McDaniel is upstairs and something scares her ... and because of the frames missing, it looks like she teleports downstairs in the middle of Lugosi and the other guests at the house! So I think of Murder by Television as the movie where Hattie McDaniel teleports! |
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Post by brutalis on Oct 14, 2019 13:24:32 GMT -5
The Mummy (1932, via Svengoolie)Were you watching tonight too, @mechagodzilla ? Always a pleasure to view, even if this was never a favorite of mine. Though I adore the cinematography of Karl Freund, I've always found the mindless reboot of this film (The Mummy's Hand) and its sequels to be a lot more fun. And that's exactly what's playing next week! It just isn't Saturday night in October without popcorn and a soda while watching Svengoolie! It's Mummy month since 10/26/19 will be The Mummy's Ghost! |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Oct 14, 2019 13:31:06 GMT -5
10/26/19 will be The Mummy's Ghost! Possibly my favorite surprise ending ever in a Universal horror film! |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 14, 2019 17:11:03 GMT -5
10/26/19 will be The Mummy's Ghost! Possibly my favorite surprise ending ever in a Universal horror film! Very true, though not my favorite twist ending in a monster movie as I think that distinction belongs to the end of funnily enough yet another Mummy film: Hammer's Blood from the Mummy's Tomb. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Oct 14, 2019 19:35:01 GMT -5
Possibly my favorite surprise ending ever in a Universal horror film! Very true, though not my favorite twist ending in a monster movie as I think that distinction belongs to the end of funnily enough yet another Mummy film: Hammer's Blood from the Mummy's Tomb. I've yet to watch the Hammer Mummy films. I own them; just haven't been in a Hammer mood yet this season. I shall keep this in mind! |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Oct 14, 2019 21:15:00 GMT -5
The Cat and the Canary (1927)
Probably my favorite old dark house film of them all. While this one wasn't the first, it certainly set the template for much of what the later old dark house films do, except this one has a script and pacing that keep you confused and intrigued, as well as Paul Leni directing and inserting in surprisingly powerful German Expressionism at key points. Best yet, just when the film is starting to feel a little mundane, the maniac we've been warned about shows up and is actually legitimately creepy. REALLY great film!
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Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 15, 2019 6:35:47 GMT -5
Very true, though not my favorite twist ending in a monster movie as I think that distinction belongs to the end of funnily enough yet another Mummy film: Hammer's Blood from the Mummy's Tomb. I've yet to watch the Hammer Mummy films. I own them; just haven't been in a Hammer mood yet this season. I shall keep this in mind! They're a pretty decent bunch, though like most of the Mummy films a tad predictable as if you've seen one you have a pretty good idea how the rest will go...except for Blood from the Mummy's Tomb which is a loose adaptation of Bram Stoker's Jewel of the Seven Stars and as such differs greatly from the usual Mummy film tropes. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2019 12:00:52 GMT -5
Double Bill
Frankenstein (1931)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Frankenstein
I went to a friend's house last night and watch these movies off of his recorder and these are the masterpieces of horror and believe these movies should stands for test of time.
This is probably most talked about scene in this movie of where Frankenstein thinks the little girl Maria can float. I just felt that this scene should been edited out; but it did not and that's where this movie excels in the horror department.
When Ludwig carried his dead girl Maria; this short clip really set the stage that Frankenstein Monster must be destroyed at all costs and that alone made this movie more human than you think. I'm focusing on these two scenes and these two because this movie is not about the Monster ... but the uneducated monster that's doesn't know the reasons of right and wrong. That's why this movie shines and the innocent of the monster itself should be considered.
Bride of Frankenstein
Sorry for the poor quality of a clip here and this is totally my favorite scene in this movie and that set the tone of the movie itself. Lord Byron wonderfully played by Gavin Gordon would had been my choice for Best Supporting Actor in 1935.
The Little People Scene is really a masterpiece of cinema history as Ernest Thesiger plays Doctor Pretorius did a masterful job of showing Henry Frankenstein his creations and I find the ballerina and the mermaid captivating at the end of this clip and that shows that the Bride is done more creativity than Frankenstein back in 1931.
The Hiss, shows that the Bride is not accepting his Groom (The Monster) and this alone causes the downfall of this marvelous movie and that's why this movie did well in the horror genre back then and continues to do so for today. Elsa Lanchester as the Monster's Mate most dramatic scene here of her memorable mannerism that she did in this short clip.
Anyway
I enjoyed watching these two films last night and it's was joy to watch these two masterpieces of horror ... I always watch these two in October on an annual basis and must have watched them more than 50 times in my life and I know in some years ... I have seen them more than once. Both of them done in pure artistry, great photography, and powerful scenes. And, in the Bride of Frankenstein ... the famous Una O'Connor Scene should not be missed!
I really enjoyed these two films last night.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Oct 15, 2019 19:08:19 GMT -5
Watched The Addams Family (1991) with my kids tonight.
I was the target demographic when this hit theaters 28 years ago, and yet this one never really wowed me over. Back then, I enjoyed the M.C. Hammer song more than the film itself. Now, as an adult, I can see just how lazy the plot is, and yet what I do appreciate about this film is the casting. They really got these characters right. I'd even argue they are superior to the original television cast. I just wish they'd been in a better written film.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Oct 15, 2019 19:26:42 GMT -5
Watched The Addams Family (1991) with my kids tonight. I was the target demographic when this hit theaters 28 years ago, and yet this one never really wowed me over. Back then, I enjoyed the M.C. Hammer song more than the film itself. Now, as an adult, I can see just how lazy the plot is, and yet what I do appreciate about this film is the casting. They really got these characters right. I'd even argue they are superior to the original television cast. I just wish they'd been in a better written film. The cast was fantastic, but you're right about the plot. I think that's a problem for all the Addams Family films, the premise just seems to work much better with an episodic structure than an overarching plot. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Oct 15, 2019 19:33:22 GMT -5
Watched The Addams Family (1991) with my kids tonight. I was the target demographic when this hit theaters 28 years ago, and yet this one never really wowed me over. Back then, I enjoyed the M.C. Hammer song more than the film itself. Now, as an adult, I can see just how lazy the plot is, and yet what I do appreciate about this film is the casting. They really got these characters right. I'd even argue they are superior to the original television cast. I just wish they'd been in a better written film. My wife loves this movie. It came out on her birthday in 1991 and we went opening night as she had loved re-runs of the TV show and Charles Addams' cartoons. We watched it a few nights ago. And honestly the cast makes up for every other flaw. The main cast in general are just so perfect and clearly buy into the roles that you let all the problems slide. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2019 20:08:49 GMT -5
Watched The Addams Family (1991) with my kids tonight. I was the target demographic when this hit theaters 28 years ago, and yet this one never really wowed me over. Back then, I enjoyed the M.C. Hammer song more than the film itself. Now, as an adult, I can see just how lazy the plot is, and yet what I do appreciate about this film is the casting. They really got these characters right. I'd even argue they are superior to the original television cast. I just wish they'd been in a better written film. My favorite Addams Family Movie, I adore Wednesday, Uncle Fester, Mr. Addams ... are my top three characters in that movie. To me it's just as good and might be better than the original cast on Television. This done just right and every about it is a pure entertainment joy. I haven't seen this for a long time and thinking of watching in a day or two. I think the script is just plain average ... but slightly better and that's why this movie was made for young people alike and I just don't know that true or not. I saw it twice in the theatres back then because my brothers wanted to see it with me and we made it a family night instead so my girlfriend, their wives, and all the teenaged kids went to see it on a Saturday Matinee and enjoyed together. We had pizza afterwards and talked about it and played Hearts too; and that's our Family Nights back then. |
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