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Showing posts from December 25, 2014

You'll Find Out (1940) - David Butler

I am kicking off 1940 with You'll Find Out from 1940. A hilarious forgotten released to promote Kay Kyser. A popular big band leader from the 30's and 40's. The film is filled with comedy bits and witty charm that carry the plot along nicely. The production is exquisite. You'll Find Out is definitely a movie to check out. It's a shame it has been forgotten for so long. The film is about Kay Kyser and his band after they are hired to play at a spooky mansion for a young heiress. The heiress had been invited to this mansion to celebrate her birthday party. She doesn't know who invited her. However, she is sure someone is trying to kill her. For some reason she still decides to go. The mansion is filled with creepy artifacts and crap lining the walls. It does a really good job of putting it's own spin on the Old Dark House motif. Not to mention it also has some very good cameos from Lugosi, Karloff, and Lorre. The film is a parody/homage to the horror f

The Face at the Window (1939) - George King

Tod Slaughter is such an awesome character actor. He really puts everything he can into his pictures. I loved watching him in Sweeney Todd . This movie was no exception. George King is one of Britain's greatest story-tellers and delivers another keeper. The Face at the Window takes the Old Dark House motif and turns it on its head.  The film takes place in 1880's France where someone has robbed the Brisson Bank in Paris. Chevalier Lucio del Gardo (Tod Slaughter) is the only one wealthy enough to help bail the bank out of trouble. Lucio del Gardo is horrible person that demands the love of the bank owners daughter. Not only is he horrible. He is a brutish creep. He stalks and harasses while seemingly getting away with it. Oh, I didn't even mention that he keeps some strange werewolf man thing as a tool in his repertoire for manipulation.  The film is more of a melodramatic thriller than a horror movie. However, it deals with werewolves and has some pretty tam