The Phantom Fiend (1932)

Earlier, I was reading an article on Jack the Ripper and yet another claim of solving that mystery. As a history buff, I have always been fascinated by the Ripper and enjoy consuming everything about the horrific tale. Incredibly, while searching for a movie tonight, I stumbled upon this 1930s entry based on a book about Jack the Ripper, The Phantom Fiend; a remake of the Alfred Hitchcock silent classic The Lodger.

Plot/ An enigmatic young man in a London boarding house becomes the subject of suspicion as the infamous Jack the Ripper begins his campaign of slaughter.

Being a fan of classic cinema (and of the Hitchcock silent gem), I figured I was going to be in for some head scratching moments with this one. Anytime someone attempts to remake Hitchcock, it never seems to end well. While this one is not unwatchable, there are a ton of flaws that make it fall well short of the inspiration. For me, any time Jack the Ripper is involved in the storyline, the movie has potential and this one does have potential. Unfortunately, between the uneven performances that made it feel like a poorly dubbed silent film, the poor sound quality (considering the dialog), and an ending that in no way serves justice for the original, this one is a tough watch. Sure, the storyline is not anything spectacular or groundbreaking, but there is something there that should have been better. In the end, this one is a bit of a disappointment. While it is not terrible, it is nowhere near anything that I would watch a second time.

The Birds (12 Peers Theater)

When you hear the title The Birds, the classic film by famed director Alfred Hitchcock has to come to mind. Based on the short story by Daphne du Maurier the classic tale has been modernized by an adaptation by Conor McPherson. While this modern entry does differ from the source, it is still an interesting and unsettling preview into the spiraling mental state within an apocalyptic state.

When I heard that local stage production company 12 Peers Theater was performing their interpretation of this classic tale, I was sold. I had to see it. While I knew the minimalist cast would create a story much different than the Hitchcock classic, the overall tension and atmosphere of seclusion and isolation from the turmoil outside would have to exist; and it did.

While nothing remotely similar to the Hitchcock classic on first glance, there is a darkness that exists in the modern Hell. Directed for the stage by Vince Ventura, the three-person cast of Gayle Pazerski (Diane), Nick Mitchell (Nat) and Sara Ashley Fisher (Julia) have tremendous chemistry in this dialog driven trip into the dark world of the end times (#birdpocalypse).

Backed by a tremendous soundscape and an impressive combination of setting and lighting, the play holds your attention throughout, and pulls you into the tumultuous relationships within a sanctuary full of fear, love, and jealousy. In the end, this 12 Peers Theater production is well worth the trip into Pittsburgh to see; and with only four shows remaining (Thursday, August 18 through Sunday, August 21), time is running out. If interested, the production can be seen at the Studio Theatre at the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning (in the basement) and more information can be found at their website (http://www.12peerstheater.org). If like me, you are a fan of The Birds, this is a must see.

The Gift (2015)

After spending a few days in past decades, I decided to come back to modern times to find a movie for the evening. Luckily, one such film made it to the DVD player after a trip to Family Video in the 2015 thriller The Gift.

Plot/ A young married couple's lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance from the husband's past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to light after more than 20 years.

The Gift was an odd movie for me to watch and review. While it was a good movie overall, it really did not speak to me as much as I expected. A solid thriller, that definitely seemed to channel a lot of from the past in the way it was presented with a genuine creepiness and tension throughout. It really felt like a modern journey into a classic Hitchcock film. The performances were solid, the scripting worked, and the cinematography and direction was spot on. Unfortunately, while the movie was good and atmosphere awesome, I could not truly connect to the characters and truly felt like an outsider watching it. Of course, that could be due to the fact that the pacing was strange, the runtime was short, and the somewhat expected violence never materialized on screen. Honestly, I am not sure why I felt so disconnected. In the end, this is a decent thriller and movie that I may have to watch again to truly appreciate. If you are searching for an atmospheric thriller, give it a shot!

Dressed to Kill (1980)

After taking a few days off to work on some different prospects, it was time to jump back into some reviews. To me, it is often a challenge to find something fun and intriguing to watch, as much of today’s horror is so uninspired or rehashed, there is always hope though. In the end, I decided to take a trip back a few decades and watch the classic thriller Dressed to Kill from 1980.

Plot/ A mysterious, tall blonde woman, wearing dark sunglasses murders one of a psychiatrist's patients, and now she goes after the high-priced call girl who witnessed the murder.

I remember when this one originally came out and the stir it caused with some of the erotic elements that were littered throughout. Today, many of these elements are still visible as the film aged extremely well. While many say this is a Hitchcock rip-off, and there are some similarities, I feel an overwhelming nod to the classic giallo’s of Argento. The stylistic camera angles, the lack of dialogue with an atmospheric score, and some artistic uses of blood and camera effects make this extremely enjoyable. More importantly, the acting, characters and storyline really work together. In the end, this is clearly one of the better thrillers from the 1980s, and a movie that must be seen. 

The Birds (1963)

It was awesome on Saturday night as all four of my daughters were sitting together at their grandmothers’ house watching some television. Fortunately, I never leave the house unprepared for just these situations, and this time was no different. So, without hesitation, I fired up the DVD player for the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock classic The Birds!

Plot/ A wealthy San Francisco socialite pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness.

Ever since I watched this classic the first time years ago, I was hooked on all things Alfred Hitchcock. Everything the master did was amazing and I am still amazed at the quality of his flicks all these years later. The Birds feature some of the best special effects of the era (especially the attack scenes), great cinematography, solid acting and an awesome soundtrack. His use of silence to build tension and atmosphere was brilliant and worked perfectly. Yes, originally I found the ending a bit anticlimactic, but that has grown on me more and more every time I watch it and the dialogue has started to feel dated, but those are very minor flaws that are barely noticeable. This is a true classic and film that everyone should enjoy. If you have not watched it yet, why not? Check it out!
 

The Silent Scream (1980)

Growing up during the slasher craze of the 1980s, I always enjoy watching any movie from the era. Any time that I can find something that I have not seen is even better. One such flick is 1980s the Alfred Hitchcock influenced The Silent Scream starring Cameron Mitchell and Barbara Steele.

Plot/ Scotty moves into Mrs. Engels' seaside mansion where three other college students are boarding. Mrs. Engels prefers to stay in her room in the attic, but her son Mason helps the students get settled. Soon one of the students is killed. The policemen on the case begin uncovering the Engels family secret as the remaining students become endangered.

This was definitely more me, than Kick Ass. This early 1980s entry is an underrated flick that relies more on creepy atmosphere than gore, and delivers. The performances are solid (especially Barbara Steele who may steal the show with silence), the plot is sound, and the soundtrack and cinematography create a truly heavy and uneasy feeling throughout. All is not perfect, some characterization is off and the pacing maybe a little slow, really nothing major. In fact, in my opinion the pacing is a key to building tension. All-in-all, this early slasher, while not original (a modernized Psycho?), is one of the better entries in the genre and a definite must see for fans of atmospheric flicks and Hitchcock.

The Ghost Writer (2010)

While I am still a bit worn out from the cold that brought me down, I am at least functioning again. However, that functioning has taken away from my movie watching as I am getting caught up on all of the items I pushed aside. To get back in the swing of things, I caught 2010s The Ghost Writer.

Plot/ A ghostwriter hired to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister uncovers secrets that put his own life in jeopardy.

This is a tremendous effort by famed director Roman Polanski  that created a very stylish thriller. The script is very engaging, full of twists and turns, with a variety of interesting characters. The acting is solid, and adds tension to the heavy atmosphere. Really, I was just engrossed by the flick, it was that good. To me, it reminded me of a Hitchcock film, more atmosphere and intrique to garner suspence than violence. This one is definitely worth watching, check it out!

Do You Like Hitchcock? (2005)

As I prepare to take a brief vacation, I decided to enjoy some more Dario Argento. My choice, 2005s Do You Like Hitchcock? (Ti piace Hitchcock?)  Often cited as the Italian Hitchcock, Argento may be the perfect person to try to recapture some of the genius created by Alfred.

Plot / A college film student, obsessed with the works of Alfred Hitchcock, investigates a murder committed in the apartment building across from his and suspects that his seductive neighbor hired a girlfriend to commit the deed.

This tribute to legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock may lack the gore that Argento is often noted for, but it is a solid effort. The made for TV tribute centers around the Hitchcock classics Rear Window and Strangers on a Train. While not really a scary flick, there is an air of suspense and some creepiness. The acting is solid and the plot is outstanding, and Argento does a great job at weaving some of his stylish scenes into the constructs of the movie. Like I mentioned earlier, being a made for television entry, the gore is almost non-existent and can never compare to his classic entries, so gory giallo fans may be turned off. However, if you are like me, and enjoy the work of Hitchcock, you will find it an extremely entertaining film.