Reviews

The Basic Plot: A man who has been accused of murdering his brother is made invisible by the brother of the original Invisible Man, and he finds and tortures those who framed him.

The Praise: Excellent special effects, especially during the stunning, harrowingly suspensful climax. The film has a great buildup to the climax , spiraling upwards from the time Vincent Price goes power-mad to the romance ending. Along the way he tortures those who framed him in several scenes that almost are as harsh as the original. I liked Nan Grey, very pretty ( as a previous reviewer said). Remember her as Lily from "Dracula's Daughter". Vincent Price turns in a fine performance , and occasionally you see a faint shade of the man you saw in the Poe Films and "House of Wax", such as where he becomes visible at the end ( in a groundbreaking visual effect) you can see the hairline and features just beginning, and in his moments of madness it could be Roderick Usher as a young man. One of the first horror/sci-fi scripts by Curt Siodmak ( he died very recently).

The Flaws: Plot can be a bit confusing at times, and it is a bit slow occasionally.

The Basic Plot: The unraveling of the mystery of two scientists,a werewolf, and a missing man.

The Praise: Tense, quiet, and spare, it is frightening in an amount of moments with the werewolf. The western locations are great, and the werewolf is sympathetic,plus good acting by a cast of nobodies. Not a major production, it is probably low-budget because of the no-frills look of the film and the lack of any stars. Odd because in parts it looks, feels, and acts like a western. If you detached some scenes without the Werewolf it could pass as a western. The Flaws: Ridiculous makeup. P.S : Extremely rare, it has never been released on VHS, DVD, Laserdisc etc.. Only way to see it is through TV, and I taped it off the AMC Halloween festival, and the tape has become part of my library of rare horror films.

A Comedy of Speed Driving,Drunken Love, and Hunting. There are several laughs throughout the short running time, such as Walrus's affections of Ambrose's wife, and the climax on the bridge, but it is sometimes clumsily executed and plotted. I liked the spare use of titles, and when they do appear they are like subversive nursery rhymes. Pretty Good overall.

A documentary about the Kindertransport, which sent many Jewish children in Central Europe to safety in Britain. The film is constructed from interesting and rare film footage and newsreels, German lullabies and folk songs, still photos,letters and drawings, representative objects, but, most importantly the recollections of many Kindertransport children, full of detail and emotion. In a certain part of the film ,lines from letters from the children to their parents are read and one of the letters which is read is that of my grandmother, a child on the Kindertransport herself. To me this film was a personally invigorating, touching, informative and sad experience . Recommended when it opens ( I saw it at the Warners screening room in N.Y before it opened because of my connection).

Screwy one shot in which a tiny elephant escapes from a banana boat and causes havoc on a town, raiding a doll-house , a bird-bath, and a circus, among other things. It's funny mostly for its surrealism , and not because of the humor. By Chuck Jones , the famous animator. He made a series of one-shots during the late-40s' to mid-50s', which this is one of.

Surreal and fascinating, it's not terribly funny by todays standards, but still unusual . Daffy is a "quack" doctor who helps to operate on a patient by using various bits of machinery and artillery , before being kicked out and making a patient out of Porky Pig. Daffy hasn't matured in voice , design, or attitude, and Porky is almost a cameo, but the operation and the parts where parts of Daffy inflate after iron lung treatment are classics. Still surreal.

Typical besides Daffy's first appearance, it has a couple of moderately funny parts as well as a couple of bizarre musical interludes. The situation is now classic (Porky or Elmer hunts Bugs or Daffy, with the hunted getting the better of the hunter( and in this case it's Porky and Daffy)).Daffy is incredibly " Daffy " here, different from the later image that we know. Interesting curio.

Curio period piece, by Edison. That said , it is basically footage of bathers going down an early water slide ( a 50 foot one , in San Fransisco). For anyone who's interested in obscure San Fransisco history , Thomas Edison, turn-of -the century swimming practice and wear, or the early waterslide. Hard to find .

The basic plot: The fab four are taken to Pepperland on a Yellow Submarine to fight the Blue Meanies.

The praise: The songs , assembled from the Beatle's albums " Rubber Soul", " Revolver", " Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band ", and "Magical Mystery Tour" are incredibly high caliber, and the visuals are so colorful, elaborate , dazzling, flourishing, and so, so 60's , they truly AMAZE one. It's a witty movie, with many funny parts . The visuals for the songs " Eleanor Rigby", " Lucy in the sky with Diamonds ", and " When i'm 64" actually match the songs. The video and DVD have the little seen " Hey Bulldog " sequence edited in. Actually the voices and story were not handled by the Beatles, but it's still great.

The animation is truly excellent, using dynamic structures and design. Very amusing script about a snowman in a snowglobe,as well as other " Knickknacks". Interesting concept and very good computer animation make this a gem. By Pixar, who later , after a series of milestone shorts, worked with Disney on several computer animated features.

Just a funny little Three Stooges short. The slapstick is rather good , it is pretty compact and well-done, a good chance for them to do their shtick. Lucille Ball appears, very pre-Lucy . Funny concept in which Moe, Larry, and Curly get mistaken for famous football players. I saw this right after the New Years proceedings a year ago.

The basic plot: Scooby and the Gang get mixed up in a ghoulish, ghostly old house mystery .

The praise: Fun showcase for the Scooby shtick. It's watchable, entertaining, diverting, and ghoulish. Suspenseful. Slightly silly romp, it'll appeal to young children . Nothing great, but I liked it when I was little.

Hey, I'm a Madonna fanatic . Are you? If you are you'll love this ! You see her in all her morphing, sexual beauty here. We go through elaborately , complexly produced numbers of " Like a Virgin", " Deeper and Deeper", " Holiday", " Everybody", " Justify my Love", and just about every other hit of hers. plus we have a circus-like number designed especially for this , " The Beast Within" , and a crazy version of " Bananas"!. Great. You'll still remember some of the great numbers years after you see this!sexy!

A very sad filmic recording of the end of the 60's. Edited as a series of visuals which represent the 60's , backstage talk, documentary pieces, and musical numbers, all great. All the tensions erupt here at the end. Great music by the Stones, the Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Tina Turner. It's amazing that one of the best rock films comes out of Altamont, the most disastrous concert. Recommended.

The basic plot: Bob Hope gets mixed up in a plot to get Paulette Goddards fortune.

The praise: Its a funny movie, with Bob Hope doing plenty of good gags and wisecracks . It also has a diverting , intriguing plot, suspense, and an eerie, funny old house part towards the end . The old house one is a fine set, and you won't have a clue who done it till the end. Paulette Goddard looks fetching, and the film is dated only by black stereotyping. The zombie scene works both seriously and as a spoof. Enjoy!

The basic plot: The same as Dracula , basically.

The praise: Still atmospheric, it reeks with chill moments( the ship ride, the last part with Ellen) and great sets. The photography is stunning, and the DVD has the original tints, organ score, and is made from a top-notch print. The film creates an atmosphere of dread and disorientation towards the end by using symbols and motifs of death . Max Shreck is truly repugnant and well, a little scary, as Orlok. Directed by F.W Murnau ,it's an unauthorized adaption of Dracula.

The flaws: It's dated somewhat by the overacting of everybody, the disappearance after a careful setup of a potential Van Helsing character ,and various other stiff, flimsy bits occasionally. Not quite as great as Caligari, but still great.

The basic plot: A young couple come to wed on a Haitian plantation, as a kindness by a man they met on the ship where the couple met . However, the plantation owner, Beaumont, loves the bride, and asks advice of the zombie master Legendre on how he can have her in his arms. However, Legendre has plans of his own.....

The praise: It has so much great camera composition , as well as the feel that each shot is a work of craft and art. It also has spooky atmosphere and mood to boot , using shadow, architecture, and night sounds of insects and the sea. Bela also gives a very good, over-the-top performance as Legendre, the zombie master. Good after reading some obscure romances like Guingamor, Launfal, or the Were-wolf in a 100 year old book. The use of hands and eyes by Legendre is truly inventive . Tons of fairy tale images are hidden in here. Enjoy!

The flaws:Creaky, dated, and old-fashioned, sometimes overly sentimental.

The basic plot: Three troubled teens meet over s short period of time.

The praise: Muscularly emotional, it recounts the events of adolescence realistically, dealing with doubt, turmoil, and emotion in a surprising way. It is all about the problems of life and growing up, role models, etc, etc.... It happens to be MEANT to make one uneasy, and it does so, effectively. The acting also happens to be near perfect, James Dean and Natalie Wood giving stellar performances. But it is Sal Mineo who I think is truly great, giving a realistically emotional performance and a truly complex character. Great multi-scene opening and a suspenseful, great closing. Suspense all the way through, especially during the "Chickie Run " scene, the mansion scene also is perfect. Must-see.

The basic plot: Charles Dexter Ward comes to the town of Arkham to inherit his palace, but there is inhabited by the evil of his ancestor Curwen.

The praise: Price . He is great switching between the sides of good and evil as Charles Dexter Ward , giving a really good performance as two different personalities . Debra Paget and Frank Maxwell are also very good, Lon Chaney Jr. efficient. It has a bizzare , foggy, dark, devilish, oppressing atmosphere to, which suits it well. The sets of the palace are superbly mounted and designed, with a dedicated gothic flair. This is actually an adaption of the H.P Lovecraft novella " The Case of Charles Dexter Ward ".

The flaws: Oh, the plot, action, and suspense are rather thin and muddled , the tension feels strained. It also at times feels to kind've lost occasionally, the score is cloying.

The basic plot: Five travellers are trapped with 5 wackos in an old dark house during a storm in the Welsh mountains.

The praise: A great ensemble. Melvyn Douglas, Raymond Massey, Lillian Bond, Gloria Stuart, Charles Laughton, Eva Moore, Ernest Theisiger, Boris Karloff, Elspeth " John" Dudgeon, and Brember Wills deliver tongue-in-cheek, witty performances for well-drawn, funny characters, and the interaction between them is superbly well-done and thought-out . Terrific script , terrific dialogue. Suspenseful up until the climax. James Whales is seemless directorially, and each frame and impeccable detail is steeped in atmosphere , fluidity, and imaginative lighting. The camera is perfectly graceful as well. A true treat. It also looks great on DVD. Boris Karloff has some really convincing makeup. A must-see.

The basic plot: A Canadian nurse arrives at the isle of St. Sebastian to take care of a plantation owners mentally entranced and disturbed wife, but once she get's there, she learns more than she should about the family secrets, voodoo , and zombie fever......

The praise: A truly poetic, hypnotizing, and creepy film experience. The poetry of the island traditions, the family mysteries and everything else about the movie is truly evocative and sensitive. There are smatterings of spooky moments throughout, all frightening suggestively, using sound , imagery and implied chills. All classically and romantically constructed and written, a flagon of longing, taste, and character in every little detail. Well-shot, especially the impressive voodoo ceremony. Very atmospheric, with black& white used to enhance the mood, as in all Lewton movies. Watch for calypso singer Sir Lancelot, who Lewton also used in " Curse of the Cat People", an equally poetic movie, which I also have reviewed. A masterpiece of the horror film, it has many scenes which take together the essential elements of suspense and atmosphere , sound and imagery , such as Dee traveling to the voodoo ceremony. A must-see. Very hard-to-find. The only way I could find it was to order a copy of an unauthorized copy of it from Canada.Truly great.

The basic plot: Larry Talbot awakens from his grave and learns that he can't die , and when he wants his wolfishness to end, he travels to the castle Frankenstein with Maleva , but there he finds the monster.......

The praise: Well-done, atmospheric and fast-paced. The movie is best in the first half, when we concentrate on the Wolf-Man , this part of the movie being atmospheric, well-acted, staged and told. Once the monster comes in though, its not as good. Everyone in the cast is efficient, except for Bela( discussed below). Great laboratory and graveyard scenes, good transformation. Love that fight scene. Fun.Really a wolf-man vehichle.

The flaws: Once the monster appears, a lot of feeling or atmosphere is lost, and it becomes less interesting. Bela is one-dimensional and frankly not very good in his role as the monster, neither looking or acting right. He blew his career by not accepting the role in 1931, but by blowing his career, we discovered a true acting genius, Boris Karloff. ironic.

The basic plot: A beautiful and mysterious Serbian girl becomes married to a journalist , but has strange and insane fears of turning into a panther at extreme moments of passion . These can not be apprehended, and her husband falls for his office friend and partner, Alice. But Irayna gets angry when she suspects their affair.......

The praise: A persuasive and visionary horror movie. The use of shadow and light, suggestion, restrained imagery and noise create a psychologically entertaining and convincing atmosphere, enhanced by a handful of carefully placed creepy moments. Some of the more famous ones are the pool scene

and the even more eerie " I'm being followed scene". Suspense toward the end. It will probably disappoint because it is rather overrated in fan circles as the "masterpiece " of the Lewton team........

The flaws: ......and what weakens it from excellence is it's creaky script, dialogue and characters. This dates it structurally. Still a must-see, though.

The basic plot: It involves old enemies, satanic worship, sex, art deco sets, Austria , and a young couple.

The praise: Karloff and Lugosi. Both are great. Their performances are fantastic, and their interaction is well-performed and written . The sets are fantastic art deco illuminations , it is alluringly photographed , and the art direction and lighting are effective. Atmospheric . All the psychosexual and social subtexts are carefully suggested and hidden, and the plot is well-constructed . Eerie, diabolical, erotic.The tension between Karloff and Lugosi is supreme and leads to a very good climax. Classical soundtrack. Look for John Carradine quick as an organ player during the black mass. Terrific script.One of the few times Bela played a good guy.