Directed By: Kurt Neumann
Starring: David Hedison, Patricia Owens, Vincent Price
Tag line: "She had to kill the thing her husband had become -- But could she?"
Trivia: Patricia Owens has a real fear of insects. Director Kurt Neumann used this by not allowing her to see the makeup until the "unmasking' scene
I was already a fan of David Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of The Fly before I ever sat down to watch the '58 original, and while the two movies approach the story differently, both have earned a place among the classics of the sci-fi/horror genres.
Scientist Andre Delambre (Al Hedison) has just been crushed to death in a hydraulic press. His wife, Helene (Patricia Owens), confesses to murdering him, but as she tells Andre’s brother, Francois (Vincent Price), she had her reasons for doing so. It all started with an experiment Andre was conducting, in which he transported living creatures from one sealed chamber to another using his newest invention, the “disintegrator-integrator". Following several successful attempts with animals, Andre decided to give his creation the ultimate test, and climbed into the chamber himself. Unfortunately, he wasn’t alone; a fly had entered with him, and when Andre transported himself, he and the fly inadvertently swapped atoms, leaving Andre with the head and left arm of an insect! His mental capacity slowly slipping away, Andre begged Helene to end his misery. Initially, neither Francois nor Police Inspector Charas (Herbert Marshall) believe her story, but quickly change their tune when they themselves make a startling discovery.
Both versions of The Fly, this one and Cronenberg’s remake, deal with the physical transformation of a man into an insect. Where the two films differ is in the way they handle the fly itself. In Cronenberg’s The Fly, Scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum, delivering an incredible performance) accidentally merges his DNA with that of a common housefly, leading to disaster when the two become one. In the 1958 original, Delambre and the fly trade body parts with each other, yet remain separate entities. To correct his mistake, Delambre must find the fly so that he can reverse the process. Of course, doing so won't be easy; in fact, It's probably more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack (at least you have a general idea where the needle is; this damn fly could be anywhere). Every now and then, we see the insect buzzing around, and the tension mounts as the characters come close to discovering it, yet continually fail to do so. The search for the elusive fly introduces a different, and equally engaging, element to the story, adding a level of suspense that, at times, is downright unbearable.
And, of course, the deformed fly figures prominently in the film’s final scene, which sent a chill running down my spine the first time I saw it. Aside from being a terrific motion picture, The Fly also has one of the best endings in horror movie history,
Directed By: Tod Browning
Starring: Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Frank Lawton
Trivia: The film's working title was The Witch of Timbuctoo
Director Tod Browning’s next-to-last film (his final being Miracles for Sale in 1939), 1936’s The Devil-Doll is also one of his best, a wonderful blend of horror and melodrama that features a strong performance by Lionel Barrymore, playing both an escaped convict and a little old lady!
After 17 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, banker Paul Lavond (Lionel Barrymore) escapes, intent on exacting revenge against three former associates who framed him. Joining him in the escape is Marcel (Henry B. Walthall), a scientist who’s perfected a formula by which he can shrink any living creature, human or otherwise, to one-sixth their normal size, which he believes will end world hunger (after all, smaller people won’t eat as much food). Shortly after the two of them reach his laboratory, Marcel dies. So, Lavond joins forces with his widow, Malita (Rafaela Ottiano), and heads to Paris, where, posing as an elderly woman, he opens a doll store and sets to work using Marcel’s formula to bring down his dishonest colleagues. By doing so, he hopes to both clear his name and win back the respect of his daughter, Lorraine (Maureen O’Sullivan), who’s been a social outcast ever since his arrest.
Lionel Barrymore is superb as Lavond, and even makes for a believable old woman (I liked how he went from full-on revenge mode to sweet little old lady in the blink of an eye). The special effects are strong as well, with Browning and company bringing Lavond’s “dolls” convincingly to life. In one scene, Lavond plants a female doll in a former associates house, which then wakes up in the middle of the night and steals a valuable necklace. Even knowing how these effects were achieved (using oversized sets and furniture to make the actors appear smaller than they are) doesn't make them any less impressive.
Equally as good are the film’s more dramatic moments, where Lavond, disguised as the old woman, interacts with his daughter, Lorraine, who, over the years, has grown to hate him. In the hands of lesser actors, these scenes might have come across as overly-sentimental, but Barrymore and O’Sullivan are subdued enough in their performances to generate real emotions during these encounters (their final meeting packs enough of a punch to bring a tear to your eye). By perfectly balancing fantasy with human drama, The Devil-Doll may just be the most complete motion picture Tod Browning ever made.
Directed By: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska
Starring: Rikki Gagne, Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska
Trivia: The first screening of the film took place in February of 2010 at the Ghouls on Film Festival in the UK
The directorial debut of twin sisters Jen and Sylvia Soska (who also wrote the screenplay), 2009's Dead Hooker in a Trunk is a stylish nod to the grindhouse films of yesteryear, and while the movie is far from perfect, it has an intense energy that you simply can’t ignore.
When they smell something funny coming from the back of their car, two sisters, known only as Geek (Jen Soska) and Badass (Sylvia Soska), and their friends Junkie (Rikki Gagne) and Goody Two Shoes (C.J. Wallis), pull over to investigate. What they find is (as the title suggests) a dead hooker (Tasha Moth) in the trunk. Geek and Goody Two Shoes think they should call the cops, but because neither Badass nor Junkie can remember much about the night before, they’re afraid of what a police investigation might turn up. So, they decide to dispose of the body themselves. But with the deceased’s angry pimp (John Tench), as well as a serial killer, hot on their trail, getting rid of a dead hooker won’t be as easy as they thought.
Dead Hooker in a Trunk is chock full of head-scratching, “WTF” moments. In one scene, Junkie pays a visit to her pusher (who’s also her ex-boyfriend), only to be caught up in a dangerous situation when a gang of Triads breaks into the apartment, leading to a gory, blood-soaked showdown (with some convincing practical effects). From there, the movie gets more chaotic, and not even the main characters are safe from harm (one loses an eye when they're hit on the head with a baseball bat). Dead Hooker in a Trunk is a crazy film, and it only gets crazier, and more engaging, as it wears on.
That doesn’t mean it’s perfect. For one, the constant use of hand-held cameras gets a bit distracting after a while, and an overall lack of structure plagues the picture from start to finish; at times, its feels more like a series of unrelated vignettes than it does a feature film. But while Dead Hooker in a Trunk may come up short in the narrative department, its ballsy attitude, combined with a high-energy style, makes for a hell of an entertaining movie.
Directed By: Tod Browning
Starring: Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Bela Lugosi
Trivia: Large South American bats were imported for the picture
A remake of 1927's London After Midnight, a Lon Chaney film that has apparently been lost to the ages, Mark of the Vampire reunites director Tod Browning with star Bela Lugosi, who previously worked together on the now-classic Dracula. A return of sorts to the role that made him famous, Lugosi once again dons a vampire's cape, but what you'll remember most about this movie, aside from its atmosphere, is the twist ending. Without going into too much detail, let's just say that, in Mark of the Vampire, nothing is as it seems.
Sir Karell Borotyn (Holmes Herbert) has been murdered, and a pair of vampires: Count Mora (Lugosi) and his daughter, Luna (Carroll Borland), who have taken up residence in Borotyn's former home, are believed to be his killers. Fearing a similar fate may befall Borotyn's daughter, Irena (Elizabeth Allen), noted vampire specialist Professor Zelen (Lionel Barrymore) teams up with Inspector Neumann (Lionel Atwill) to uncover the truth about what's happening, and before long, the two make a startling discovery.
Though the story is, at times, a muddled mess (due, in large part, to a slew of unnecessary characters), the cast that Browning assembled for Mark of the Vampire is impressive. Aside from such seasoned veterans as Atwill, Barrymore, and Lugosi, we have newcomer Carroll Borland, who gives an eerie performance as the female vampire, Luna. But what truly stands out is the film's incredible atmosphere. Browning, with the help of cinematographer James Wong Howe, transforms the Borotyn estate and its surroundings into a living nightmare, complete with mist-covered graveyards and crumbled buildings. It seems the ideal spot for a couple of vampires to hang out, and the fact that the undead characters stay in the background for most of the picture only adds to their mystique (neither Lugosi nor Borland speak a single line of dialogue until the film's closing moments). On a scale of 1 to 10 on the creep meter, Mark of the Vampire registers a solid 9.5.
Unfortunately, the movie's twist ending (which I won't spoil for you) is a total cheat. In fact, it's worse than a cheat; it's an insult, and makes no sense whatsoever. That Browning tried to pass this "reveal" off as a legitimate conclusion to the story is an absolute joke. Yet, as terrible as it is, this ending doesn't ruin all that came before it. Ultimately, Mark of the Vampire is effective for 90% of its running time, which, when compared to most movies, isn't bad at all.
Directed By: Robert Iscove
Starring: Stacy Keach, Richard Thomas, Steve Landesberg
Trivia: In Italy, this film was released as Food for Sharks
In a scene from Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, Captain Quint (Robert Shaw) is telling Brody (Roy Schieder) and Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) about his experiences as a crewman aboard the U.S.S. Indianapolis, a Navy Cruiser that was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese in 1945. Left floating in the water for days, Quint tells of how a good number of his shipmates (hundreds, in fact) were devoured by sharks. It was a dramatic scene from a classic film, but as the 1991 made-for-TV movie, Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis shows us, it’s also based on a very true, very tragic story.
After delivering a key component for the atomic bomb that would soon be dropped on Hiroshima, The U.S.S. Indianapolis, under the command of Captain Charles Butler McVay (Stacy Keach), begins its long journey home. Unfortunately, the ship and many of its crew would never make it back because on the night of July 30, 1945, the Indianapolis was struck by two Japanese torpedoes, which destroyed the Cruiser and sent hundreds of crewman to a watery grave. Those who survived the attack floated in the Pacific for about three and a half days, and despite the best efforts of the ship’s officers, including Lt. Steven Scott (Richard Thomas), Lt. D’Angelo (Robert Cicchini) and U.S. Marine Wilkes (David Caruso), many would perish in the shark-infested waters before the rescue boats arrived. Looking for a scapegoat, the U.S. Navy court-martialed Capt. McVay, finding him guilty of negligence, and even though the men under his command knew he was innocent, Capt. McVay blamed himself for the tragedy until his dying day.
The strength of the film lies in its depiction of several key events, chief among them the sinking of the ship. When the Indianapolis is hit by the torpedoes, we get an extended scene showing its destruction, a sequence that’s extremely well-staged. But the real terror sets in once the survivors are in the water, and while the shark attacks aren’t particularly gory (most involve sailors letting out a scream, followed by crimson-colored water floating to the surface), they're a grim reminder of just how treacherous this entire ordeal was.
As a movie, Mission of the Shark is direct and to the point, with no real filler to speak of. Unfortunately, it also tries to cover too much ground (everything from dropping off the cargo to the aftermath of the court martial of Capt. McVay), and some events didn’t get the attention I hoped they would, especially the shark attacks (history tells us that hundreds died as a result of these attacks, whereas the film only shows about a half-dozen or so). That aside, Mission of the Shark is an effective look at a real-life tragedy, and as complete an account of this terrible incident as we’re likely to see.
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Nova Pilbeam, Derrick De Marney, Percy Marmont
Tag line: "A romantic murder-mystery drama! "
Trivia: When released in the U.S., the title was changed to The Girl was Young
Released in the U.S. as The Girl Was Young, Alfred Hitchcock's Young and Innocent is the tale of a man wrongly accused of murder who, while trying to avoid the authorities, also attempts to track down the real killer.
The body of Christine Clay (Pamela Carme), who was strangled with a raincoat belt, washes up on shore, and Robert Tisdall (Derrick de Marney), an acquaintance of the deceased, is arrested for her murder. After escaping the police, Robert makes his way to the Cornish countryside, where, with the help of Erica (Nova Pilbeam), the local constable's daughter, he hopes to prove his innocence by finding the man responsible for this heinous crime.
Like many of Hitchcock's films, Young and Innocent features a handful of memorable scenes, some of which were designed to build suspense (like when Robert and Erica, still on the run from the police, are delayed at a children's party), while others generate plenty of thrills, including a tense car chase that leads to near disaster in a coal mine. But the highlight of Young and Innocent is the long, sustained shot late in the movie where Hitchcock reveals the killer's identity. Earlier, a hobo (Edward Rigby), who actually saw the murderer, said he remembered the man had a facial tick. At that, the camera glides into a ballroom where a party's taking place and comes to rest in front of a man who's performing with the band. Thanks to an extreme close-up, we see the man's eyes start to twitch, a clear sign that he's the guilty party. It's a truly remarkable sequence, and the Master of Suspense, even at this early stage of his career, pulled it off brilliantly.
The theme of an innocent man on the run was a particular favorite of Hitchcock's, who had explored a similar story with 1935's The 39 Steps and would return to it again in the years to come, most notably in 1959's North by Northwest. Yet, despite being in familiar territory, Hitchcock brings enough of his unique flair to Young and Innocent to make it worthwhile.
Directed By: Charles Chaplin
Starring: Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee, Harry Myers
Trivia: Albert Einstein attended the L.A. premiere of this film
By 1931, sound movies were all the rage in Hollywood, and just about every film released that year was a talkie. Charlie Chaplin, arguably the finest screen comedian of the silent age, was one of the few filmmakers who dared to buck the trend, and in so doing, delivered a picture I consider to be his masterpiece. The funny, often touching story of a tramp who falls in love with a blind flower girl, City Lights is one of the greatest silent films ever made.
It all begins when the flower girl (Virginia Cherrill) mistakes the lowly tramp (Chaplin) for a millionaire. Smitten with her beauty, the Tramp goes along with the charade, promising to give her enough money to pay for an operation that will restore her eyesight. He does everything he can to raise the necessary funds, even going so far as to take part in a boxing match against a man twice his size (Hank Mann). When all else fails, the Tramp seeks out a millionaire (Harry Myers) whose life he once saved, asking for his help. In a drunken stupor, the millionaire gives the Tramp the money for the operation, but once sober, forgets that he’d done so, and accuses the Tramp of stealing from him. Facing jail time, the Tramp pays one last visit to the flower girl, realizing he may never see her again.
City Lights isn’t completely silent; Chaplin composed a synchronized musical score for the film, and even tossed in a few sound effects. But the movie contained no spoken dialogue whatsoever, which allowed the actor / director to do what he did best. A master of pantomime, he relied on his impressive physical skills time and again in City Lights, often to generate laughs. Among the film’s best scenes is the boxing match, where the Tramp, fearing for his safety, dances around the ring, doing everything he can to avoid being hit. But along with the comedy, City Lights is also one of the screen’s great romances, telling a most unlikely tale of love, and building to a final scene that’s sure to bring a tear to your eye.
With City Lights, Charlie Chaplin proved to the world that a movie didn’t need sound to stir our emotions, and in perfect silence, he made us laugh while, at the same time, he was breaking our hearts.
