Dracula (1931)

After spending most of my night last night working on my video for the Poe Arts Festival Poetry contest, I decided to jump back into the classics today. My next selection from Shudder was the one that started it all, Dracula from 1931.

Plot/ The ancient vampire Count Dracula arrives in England and begins to prey upon the virtuous young Mina.

For me, this was one of my first horror films that I watched back in my younger days and one that still resonates with me today. While I do love the classic silent unauthorized adaptation Nosferatu, there is something with the adaptation that takes the Bran Stoker story to an all-new level especially when you remember that the movie was made in 1931. Whether it was the amazing performance by Bela Lugosi or the technical vision and work of Tod Browning, this film creates one of the most iconic and memorable films of the history of cinema. Of course, there are other factors that help make this one great. All of the performances are solid and work within the storyline; the setting and cinematography create something dark and atmospheric, and as the first in the run of Universal Monsters the movie allows the rest of the universe grow by laying a tremendous foundation everything that would follow. Yes, the ending is a bit mellow and there are some head-scratching moments, but those do not really hold the movie back in any way. In the end, this movie remains a must see (along with Nosferatu) for fans of the vampire genre and one that stands tall in horror history. If you have not seen it, you are missing out.

Extraordinary Tales (2013)

Having watched Crimson Peak last night, I needed something else to help me focus on my final script project for my film writing class. After some debate with the voices in my head, I decided to venture into the mind of Edgar Allan Poe with the 2013 animated adaption Extraordinary Tales.

Plot/ The film is an animation-accompanied narration of some excerpts of some of the short stories written by Edgar Allan Poe. The movie contains: The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell Tale Heart, The Facts In the Case Of M. Valdemar, The Pit and The Pendulum, and The Masque of the Red Death.

If you have read this blog, you should already know how I feel about Edgar Allen Poe. Not only was he a genius who set the stage for modern American horror, his influence on both the cinematic and literary community may never truly be matched. Unfortunately, some of his popularity has waned in recent years, as the rise of technology has reduced the amount of kids interested in the classics. While this may not be a perfect adaptation, it is an interesting journey into the mind of the master and some of his epic tales. Complete with a diverse animation backdrop, the segments range from great (The Pit & The Pendulum) to the uneven (The Tell-Tale Heart). Of course, the opinions will vary because of the different styles used. What made this even more intriguing is the group of actors used to bring it to life. Legends such as Roger Corman, Sir Christopher Lee, and Bela Lugosi, were joined by Julian Sands and Guillermo del Toro to create a movie that could easily serve as an introduction to Poe for a new generation of fans. In the end, this one will not be for everyone, but it is an entertaining journey into the macabre visions of a literary genius.

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)

As I was taking a walk into the early stages of Sci-Fi and Horror, I felt that my night would not be complete unless I ventured into the mind of my favorite master of terror, Edgar Allan Poe.  What a better way to close my evening but with a classic tale starring one of the greatest horror icons of all time Bela Lugosi, in the often overlooked 1932 adaptation of Murders in the Rue Morgue.

Plot/ In 19th Century Paris, the maniacal Dr. Mirakle abducts young women and injects them with ape blood in an attempt to prove ape-human kinship. He constantly meets failure as the abducted women die. Medical student Pierre Dupin discovers what Mirakle is doing too late to prevent the abduction of his girlfriend Camille. Now he desperately tries to enlist the help of the police to get her back.

I love movies based on the works of Poe (albeit loose adaptations), in fact, I can never get enough of them when I find them. Sure, some are better than others, but in same ways they always carry at least some of the flair that was woven into them decades before their transition to the silver screen. This adaptation, while running only about 80 minutes, is definitely worth watching. Filmed by Universal Studios, after their initial foray into horror, this flick features great set design and perfect atmosphere. The acting is solid, but it is Bela Lugosi that is amazing, captivating the screen during every second of his screen time. Yes, there are some flaws. Some of the cinematography is so-so and editing was uneven.  In the end, this is a classic early example of Universal Studios mastery and a film that is definitely worth watching.

Happy Birthday Bela Lugosi

20 October 1882 – 16 August 1956

Born Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó, Bela will never be forgotten!

Selected Filmography

Plan 9 from Outer Space
Bride of the Monster
Glen or Glenda
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla
My Son, the Vampire
Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein
Scared to Death
The Body Snatcher
Zombies on Broadway
One Body Too Many
Return of the Ape Man
Voodoo Man
The Return of the Vampire
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
The Ape Man
Bowery at Midnight
Night Monster
The Corpse Vanishes
The Ghost of Frankenstein
Black Dragons
The Wolf Man
Spooks Run Wild
The Black Cat
Invisible Ghost
The Devil Bat
Black Friday
The Human Monster
The Phantom Creeps
The Gorilla
Son of Frankenstein
The Invisible Ray
Murder by Television
The Raven
Phantom Ship
Mark of the Vampire
The Mysterious Mr. Wong
The Return of Chandu
The Black Cat
Night of Terror
The Whispering Shadow
Island of Lost Souls
The Death Kiss
Chandu the Magician
White Zombie
Murders in the Rue Morgue
Dracula

New ETSY Listings

Newly listed items on my ETSY page. As always if anyone is interested and does not have an ETSY page email me and we can work something out!

The Land That Time Forgot #1

The Man of Bronze - Doc Savage #1

Masters of Terror #1

Bela Lugosi - The Gorilla Photo

Two More Snoozers from Undead: The Vampire Collection

As I continued through another DVD in the Undead: Vampire Collection, I continued with the bat theme. This time it was the 1941 B-Movie, the Devil Bat, starring Bela Lugosi. Another of the long line of non vampire movies gracing this collection.

Plot/ A mad scientist develops an aftershave lotion that causes his gigantic bats to kill anyone who wears it. Yes, Dr. Carruthers feels bitter about being betrayed by his employers, Heath and Morton, when they became rich because of a product he devised. He gains revenge by electrically enlarging bats and sending them out to kill his employers' family members by instilling in the bats a hatred for a particular perfume he has discovered, which he gets his victims to apply before going outdoors. Johnny Layton, a reporter, finally figures out Carruthers is the killer and, after putting the perfume on himself, douses it on Carruthers in the hopes it will get him to give himself away. One of the two is attacked as the giant bat makes one of its screaming, swooping power dives.

If not for a great performance from Lugosi, this film would fall even more with there being very limited help from the other actors, the director, the script or special effects. This movie boasts cheap sets, a below average script and the "devil bat" itself is laughable. Yet, as he always does, Bela makes the movie entertaining. He plays one of his many mad scientists -- this one a perfume maker who was monetarily wronged by his partners, now millionaires. As expected, Lugosi makes the character interesting, complex and even sympathetic -- and yet also fearsome as he tells each of his victims, "goodbye" after they try on his new fragrance. Still, for the Bela Lugosi fan, this movie is enjoyable as you watch what one great and talented actor can do in one bad movie.

After that, I moved onto 1969’s Blood of Dracula’s Castle, a movie that I have seen a couple times while watching some of my other Mill Creek sets. As stories go, this one has many of the elements of the Dracula films of the decade, but that is where all of the positives stop.

Plot/ A photographer and his fiancée, are pleased to find that he has inherited Falconroc Castle after the death of his uncle Thomas. Unfortunately, an old couple--Count Charles Townsend and his wife, who have been renting the castle for over 60 years, already inhabits Falconroc. Unfortunately, for the couple, Count Townsend is none other than Count Dracula, and he and his wife like Falconroc where their retarded and disfigured strongman Mango catches young girls, for the Count and his wife to dine on. Throw in some sacrifices, a strange butler and the worship of the Moon God Luna and you have everything you need in a film.

In all, as many probably know, this movie may be one of the worst Dracula movies ever made. It is a shame though, the scenery is great and the acting isn’t half bad. However, while watchable, there isn’t much to make you ever want to suffer through this film again and the copy on this set makes it almost impossible to sit through. The only good thing is it at least brought vampires back into this set (which seems about 50/50) so far.



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The Bloody Vampire (El Vampiro Sangriento)

Tonight I sat on my couch and debated, what to watch, what to watch, hmmm, so many choices, NCIS…same story different week, Lost, never watched it so I am LOST! American Idol, I am not really a reality show person! So, I will continue my journey (although somewhat difficult and painful) through Undead: The Vampire Collection. Tonight for my viewing pleasure, the 1962 classic The Bloody Vampire (El Vampiro Sangriento)! Fortunately, this one was actually about vampires and is a good choice for this set.

Plot/ Count Caliostro is a vampire hunter trying to locate and destroy the vampire Count Frankenhausen. It just so happens, that Frankenhausen lives around the corner and has an opening for a maid. Count Cagliostro agrees that daughter Anna should embark on a fact-finding mission as an undercover house cleaner in the lair of the vampire.

Being the first time I have seen this movie, I have to admit that I was very satisfied with it and Count Frankenhausen may become one of my favorite vampires on the big screen. That stare was just outstanding and really took me back to a lot of different early era films and was Lugosi-esque. Yes, there are flaws, but the good firmly outweighs the bad. The creepy atmosphere, interesting storyline and chilling score definitely set it apart from other vampire flicks from the 1960s. In addition, that slow motion, skeleton driven carriage in the beginning complete with fog is a scene for the ages (and I didn’t even get into the crazy bat) At the end of the night, I feel so much better than I did yesterday after Atomic Age Vampire.

Undead: The Vampire Collection

When I got off work today, I ran to the local Wal-Mart with the wife and stumbled onto another great movie collection from Mill Creek, Undead: The Vampire Collection. With the weather in New Jersey destined to be miserable all weekend, I imagine that the 20 movies will not last, especially considering I have watched and reviewed a few of these already over the past couple of weeks.

Listening to the bos, I should be in for a great weekend, "Sink your fangs into this immortal collection of 20 frighteningly delicious films featuring some of the most legendary vampire flicks of all time. From Bela Lugosi to Paul Naschy, the most beloved bloodsuckers of yesterday and today are all together in one terrifying compilation." In all the four  DVDs contain:

Atom Age Vampire                     
The Bat (1926)
The Bat (1959)
Blood of Dracula's Castle
The Bloody Vampire
Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride
Crypt of the Living Dead
The Devil Bat
Horrible Sexy Vampire
Horror Express
The Last Man on Earth
Nightmare Castle
Nosferatu
Prime Evil
Terror Creatures From the Grave
The Vampire Bat
Vampire Happening
The Vampire's Night Orgy
The Werewolf vs. Vampire Women
The Witches Mountain

As I mentioned earlier, I have already reviewed some of these here on The Ringmaster's Realm , In fact, just yesterday I did Horror Express.

I have also done:

Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride

or

The Satanic Rights of Dracula

And earlier in the year:

 

 The Last Man on Earth

Now, time for me to move to the first two films for the evening, the silent classics Nosferatu and The Bat.