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Showing posts from June, 2013

The Most Dangerous Game (1932) - Irvine Pichel

The Pest is a movie that I saw when I was like fourteen. That movie was the first to entertain the thought of humans hunting humans, at least to me. I like this storyline, I think that aside from The Pest most of the movies have done it right. If you catch my drift... So when I came across this movie on my Netflix account, I was pretty excited. I really enjoyed this movie, I was throughly entertained by it. I love that in this movie you have a real hero of a hunter and a real villian of a hunter. I did find Fay Wray kind of annoying in this. But that was just a small thing, it didn't ruin it. I like how the entire movie was shot on the King Kong sets, that was due to be released the following year. The movie also has its scary parts, and hilarious parts. All and all I would have to say that I recommend it. The movie is about a mad hunter on some island. Who is making people's ships crash and he is hunting the survivors. The movie is a comedic thriller mostly,

The Island of Lost Souls (1932) - Erie C. Kenton

This is quite possibly the best adaptation of the H.G. Wells classic story  The Island of Dr. Moreau . I am a fan of movies that create a kind of controversy, and this movie did just that. The movie was banned in the UK due to animal cruelty laws. Although I am very much on the side of the animals here, I am very intrigued. Also I am pretty sure that the movie doesn't really harm any animals.  The movie is about a man who gets stranded on a boat that is on its way to Dr. Moreau's Island. This mad Dr. who looks like Hitler, experiments on animals turning them into some sort of man beasts. There is also a sexy panther woman who is used to seduce men into Dr. Moreau's clutches. The island is not on any map and the evil doctor likes to keep it that way. He has created an entire tribe of man-beasts, which he controls with the crack of his whip. The movie features some pretty eerie stuff, mostly just monsters in great make-up creeping around in the dark. The Island of

Vampyr (1932) - Carl Theodor Dreyer

There is a large gap between the height of expressionism and this French-German, Danish directed mock silent picture. Vampyr, otherwise known as Not Against The Flesh, is a fantastic post-expressionist film. In that manner, that the art is very dark and the shadows  do their jobs to the settings. You can really feel the pre-war Germany in this one. They even reference the silent era by sneaking Title Cards in during the non existent dialogue.  This is a beautiful film about a town terrorized by Vampyrs that lure people out of town to commit suicide. This turns out to be a clever ploy to enhance the numbers of Satan's army. Allen Gray is a wanderer that studies the occult and gets folded into this tale of mystery and the macabre. This really interesting film held my interest all the way through and left me wanting to recommend it to anyone wanting to listen. If you liked Cabinet of Dr. Caligari or any pre-war Germany expressionist pictures like Metropolis, then you will mo

White Zombie (1932) - Victor Halperin

So I am watching this horrible VHS copy of White Zombie that I bought at the Goodwill for a dollar. I think it was a dollar well spent even though the sound and picture are as questionable. I will try to power through it.  The movie is about a girl and her fiancee who are due to be married upon arrival to an old plantation in Hati or someplace like that. They stumble  across a which doctor who serves as the antagonist for the rest of the film.  People are risen from the dead and they attack the living. That plot device crowns White Zombie as the first zombie movie ever made. What about Frankestein or the Mummy? Weren't they dead and resurrected too? Well this Zombie is made of Black Magic or Voodoo. Spell and enchantments are put on the bodies to make them rise. It is the first voodoo zombie film, I'll give it that.  The acting in this movie is way off. I know it's an independent feature but it is really bad. It is a victim of it's own time and features white a

Freaks (1932) - Tod Browning

Freaks is one of the most talked about horror movies of the 1930's. Tod Browning's sideshow horror flick offended many and melded many specifics from Grindhouse/Exploitation and Mainstream Horror. Fresh off of Dracula, Browning still has that flair and streak that gets lost in many mainstream artists. It feels like he made enough money with Dracula to afford making this masterpiece. Like a pet project that he finally got to work on. It's not the most well acted film and its certainly isn't cinema at its finest. It features actual sideshow attractions from clowns, strong men, and bearded ladies to little people, quadriplegics, and pinheads. That alone was enough to drag in audiences. The storyline behind it is nothing to shake a stick at. It has teeth all on it's own and actually shines through as the best piece of the film, the screenplay.   The plot revolves around a lady trapeze artist who marries the leader of the circus. However, she is really s

The Drums of Jeopardy (1931) - George B. Seitz

The Drums of Jeopardy is a revenge horror/action picture. It stars Warner Oland as a mad scientist that is taking revenge on a Bolshevik family that murdered his daughter. The movie explores different themes, obviously with revenge but also with black magic. In the film the Petroff drums are a tool, used to kill people by infecting them with some sort of black magic or poisoning after being received in the mail. Oland's character, Dr. Boris Karlov (no relation to the actor) sends these drums to each of the family members.  This movie walks the fine line of horror and action/suspense, on paper this movie seems like a great scary movie. A mad scientist exacts revenge on a family that murdered his daughter. The problem is that the film lacks the terror needed for a good horror flick. You can't really identify with any of the characters. They all seem nefarious, the family, the doctor, everyone seems guilty of something. The only pure and innocent person is the daughter that

Murder by the Clock (1931) - Edward Sloman

Murder by the Clock is a dull who-done-it murder film. With a really thin story and dead-end acting. The story is about an old woman that passes on. She is buried in a tomb with an alarm system that would go off if she were buried alive. A group of distant relatives gather at her estate for the will to be read and to collect their inheritance. However, before the Will can be read people begin dying of strangulation. They must survive to get their inheritance right!? Who is running around killing the other family members? The mentally unstable guy that has an obsession with strangling people and killing? Is it the black widow femme fatale?  The movie feels like it lasts much longer than it actually does. It only runs for an hour and fifteen minuets, but it feels like it runs for well over the two hour mark. Most parts of the story feel forced and contrived. Others are neat and well done. Lilyan Tashman did a great job of playing the Queen Bee pulling all of the strings of the re

The Mad Genius (1931) - Michael Curtiz

John Barrymore and Marian Marsh did such a good job in Svengali that they were brought back one more time this year for another feature. John Barrymore continues in his portrayal of a manipulative antagonist that tries to ruin the lives of everyone around him. While the hero is played by Donald Cook and the love interest is Marian Marsh. Both do a great job. The movie is about a dancer named Fedor and his overbearing guardian and instructor Tsarakov. Tsarakov is a successful ballet instructor that is highly misogynistic and very manipulative. He plays with the lives of his adopted son Fedor and the love interest Nana. He forces them together and forces them apart. He is a tyrannical monster and is the scariest part of the movie. The acting is pretty over the top, but it is still pretty amazing. John Barrymore is a master. He controls this movie like through and through. I couldn't expect any less from him. What an actor. Donald Cook does a weird job. His performance wasn

The Phantom (1931) - Alan James

The Phantom was built on the escaped felon and old haunted house storyline. The same storyline that Old Dark House and The Bat Whispers follows. However, The Phantom comes up short when compared against the two. It's a feat to actually make it through this movie attentively.  It revolves around a small group of people that are being terrorized by an escaped masked killer known as The Phantom! Literally that is the entire movie. It is as thin as the film it is printed on. In the beginning of the movie you get to watch the "daring" escape from prison. It is the worst escape in history. It is far from the same jurisdiction as Shawshank's escape.  My advice? Skip this movie and move on. 1931 had some real gems and apparently some real lumps. The Phantom is just a lump. A useless talkie that re-hashes some of the same-old same-old. Not worth it.  Released on November 1st 1931. Even the date was boring.  A guy on IMDB said that he really liked the b

Svengali (1931) - Archie Mayo

Svengali is a really weird "Horror" movie that is just really creepy, thanks to a great performance from veteran thespian John Barrymore. I had a really good time watching the really eerie performance and catching all of the stuff that was left in the film since this was released in that weird period before the Film Code. Marian Marsh is really hot in this movie, and she should be, since she is playing the love interest. The acting alone makes this movie stand out, but the art and set direction is amazing. Sets, beautiful. Cinematography, beautiful. This is almost a perfect black and white, early Hollywood movie, I just cant put my finger on what is not so great about it. The movie is about a girl, Trilby, who comes to Paris to make something of her life. She meets a few artists and begins to fall in love with one of them, but Svengali swoops in. Svengali is a composer and magician who entrances Trilby and sweeps her away and out of the Artists life. The artist w

Dracula (1931) - George Melford

The original English language Dracula from 1931 stars Bela Lugosi and gained all of the favor after it's release. The film has become iconic in horror movies and is an undeniable classic among film fans. The movie elevated Universal Pictures to the franchise name for Horror. It also elevated Carl Laemmle to production greatness. However, the Dracula that everyone knows and loves was filmed right alongside a Spanish language version with an entirely different cast. This Dracula from a parallel dimension was directed by George Melford and starred Carlos VillarĂ­as. In many ways it is superior to the English version. Let me give you a little background: When the original Dracula (the English version) was being filmed the studio decided that it would be a great idea to film a second version with an all Spanish speaking cast. The English version went on to get all of the fame, money, and girls. The Spanish version was left by the wayside, but upon viewing with scholars eyes,

Dracula (1931) - Tod Browning

Dracula is the cornerstone of Horror. The most successful Vampire movie of all time. Bela Lugosi will always be associated with his role of the bloodsucking noble. This was released before Frankenstein and did quite successful. It began the Universal Horror brand that has lasted for decades. It is such a classic and well done film. Directed by Tod Browning, this spectacular piece is incredibly creative. Of course it takes liberties with the Bram Stoker novel, it's hardly surprising with a Hollywood Blockbuster like this one.  This film is so iconic and unique. It was made right along side a Spanish language counterpart, that is just as interesting as this one. The cast and crew is spectacular. Like I said above, Tod Browning and Bela Lugosi. However, we have Dwight Frye, Edward Von Sloan, and Helen Chandler as Mina. The acting is tight and keeps you entertained the entire time.  The story is about Dracula reigning his horror on England. He creepily stalks around sets.

Frankenstein (1931) - James Whale

This movie is the quintessential Frankenstein piece. The Monster is so iconic and the story is timeless. Everything that follows this is just a copycat. Boris Karloff puts out a great big masterful performance as the powerful and destructive monster. While other actors including Dwight Frye make this film so interesting and greatly acted introduction into "Talkie" horrors.  I mean acting with sound was brand new. Only in it's infancy. Its really amazing if you stand back and look at it. I was always taught growing up that I should not fear the monster, but I should feel bad for him. Admittedly, I really feel bad for the poor guy. It seems to me that he is just a misunderstood zombie-esqe type dude who just wants nothing more than to fit in. Unfortunately he doesn't know his own strength, and he is clumsy. Its kind of like the Gorilla with a kitten thing where the Gorilla is given a kitten and he loves it and loves it until he squeezes it to death. The Gorilla

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) - Rouben Mamoulian

This movie is really creative with its various camera shots and sweet angles. There are a few scenes that really stand out on the creative angle, the first is the opening shot. We see Dr. Jekyll in his chores before a lecture at his university. There is a scene where he is looking into a mirror that really stands out because you were essentially looking at yourself as Dr. Jekyll. There was a transformation scene that was really cool too, well at least the first transformation scene. I really chap pretty hardcore on Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde because I see these as being really pretty boring. Its just me though I suppose, because everyone I know loves the story. This movie though was a little different from the original story and the creativity held me in my seat and kept me awake. I will tell you that I wasn't a fan of the look of Mr. Hyde in this, but I really did enjoy Dr. Jekyll... weird huhh? I personally think that Universal was winning the scary world here and Paramount ha

The Bat Whispers (1930) - Roland West

I had to go back a few years and re-watch this movie. The review is from 2009 and I re-wrote some pieces. Enjoy. The Bat Whispers is one of the more thriller heavy horrors flicks. The movie focuses on the crime side of the narrative; Quite a bit heavier than its horror side. However, it does have its spooky moments. A lot of the movie was in questionable condition. I had to turn my television all the way up past eleven just to hear the damn thing. The movie has some amazing shots and even better sets that make it look just like a noir comic book. For sets, the producers use everything from trick photography to scale models. They really put everything into this one. The movie is very dark and has this almost freakish tone that really sets the mood. The film about a caped theif/killer called 'The Bat' who terrorizes the occupants of an old mansion. It follows the "Old Dark House" narrative. The art in the movie is superb, the audio sucks but it was the 30's. T

The Man Who Laughs (1928) - Paul Leni

This is a very dark dramatic period movie. However, I made the executive decision to watch it and classify it as horror. The Expressionistic dark shadowy tones are more than enough to creep you out on a late night. It also stars our good friend Mr. Conrad Veid as Gwynplaine the disgraced and infamous "Laughing Man." His face is quite horrific and sticks in your mind. I can see why Bill Finger and Bob Kane used his character as an inspiration for the Joker, Batman's nemesis.  The film is pretty mediocre at best. It has its moments of triumph but overall just feels like filler. The story is a saving grace. It is the tale of a man that is disfigured as a boy when his father refused to kiss the then king's ring. When he is grown up the man travels as a sideshow act and falls in love with a blind girl named Dea. Happiness doesn't last forever and the now Queen of England, Queen Anne, plots against Gwynplaine and Dea. Of course in any situation like this one lov

The Fall of the House of Usher (1928) - Melville Webber & J.S. Watson Jr.

This American short film of the Edgar Allan Poe story is not as complete or concise as its French predecessor. In fact this storyline seems to be a little more skewed and definitely more experimental. It is really interesting that these movies have been pretty much forgotten. They are really well made and the directors really took some leaps with the camera. While the story is not as well portrayed the avant garde nature makes this film entertaining and original. I highly recommend this movie to anyone that is going to film school. It is one of the best examples of creativity in the silent era of American cinema. There is virtually a new effect in every scene that tries to drive home the surreal feel of the story, it just becomes a gimmick at one point. Not horrible, just overused. Director: Melville Webber & J.S. Watson Jr. Country: USA Style: Short Did ya know... This is one of many adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe's Fall of the House of Usher . Over f

Le Chute de la Maison Usher (1928) - Jean Epstein

Le Chute de la Maison Usher is one of two interpretations of the Fall of the House of Usher that were released in 1928. This French version, directed by Jean Epstein, is a creepy Avant-Garde feature that experiments and has its roots in early German cinema. The soundtrack and cinematography are captivating as well as the overall feel of the movie. It has tremendous flow and feels more like an early Twilight Zone episode than a silent film. The version that I screened came from Archive.org and had crude subtitles in French and Italian. The bonus was definitely the French narrator, translating the title cards into English. Another film based on an Edgar Allen Poe story. The difference here is that this one is actually creepy. It follows Roderick Usher, who literally paints his wife to death. He steals her body and is haunted by it for the greater part of the film. The movie experiments with shadows and overlays. It looks like the director really put a ton of work into this one. It r