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Old Dark House (1932) - James Whale

James Whale, Carl Laemmle, and Boris Karloff all come together for the best forgotten gem. This team already brought you one of the biggest horror movies in Frankenstein. So you know your getting yourself into some quality. The movie is a parody of the horror films that had come before it in previous years. It's comedy is really smart and the horror element is perfect. The Old Dark House stands tall next to Frankenstein. It joins the ranks of the best films of the 30's. 

On a stormy night, three young people seek refuge in an old dark house. It is inhabited by a scary couple of old people. An old man and woman. The woman has a voice like a paint scraper. The ghoulish people have a Butler that looks friggin' insane. Then they are joined by two others. The whole group is being terrorized all night by that crazy butler who chases people around. Then he lets his pyromaniac brother loose. Hilarity ensues. The whole movie has this really weird vibe to it you can feel the tension building. It must have been a favorite of a young Tobe Hooper. The pacing and ambiance remind me of his movies.

This movie has a good example of early sex in Hollywood due to censorship laws. People would discuss sex through various innuendos and codes. An embrace could not go any further than a really intense hug. In this day and age it is pretty funny to witness. This movie also has one of the craziest old woman I have ever seen. She has a crazy beard! Its nuts! She looks like Schang Tsung!

The real antagonist in the movie is alcohol. I wonder if this was pro-prohibition movie. This movie is really pretty scary, the actors are pretty good at putting out this creepiness. I could see myself being actually inspired by this to make a movie.

The movie was really well done and the acting was fair. What a crazy find, I didn't know this would be that good. I highly recommend this movie on a late night, or Halloween.

Saul?
  • The movie was thought lost... at one time but now it is found. 
  • Filmed right in Hollywood, CA... Well Studio City. 
  • Just a weird weird horror movie

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