Last Seen pre-1970 Classic/Vintage Horror Movie?

[FryeDwight]

MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1932). Michael Curtiz film made around the same time as the better DOCTOR X also has Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. >>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SPOLIERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> .

MOTWM is Pre-Code, so gritty throughout with Drug Addiction, Bootlegging, Racism, Police Brutality towards a "Junkie" and a quite effective scare towards the end; apparently Fay had no idea what she would see, so her shriek is genuine. Lionel's character reminds Me a lot of The Phantom of the Opera; dangerous and hideous, but through no fault of his own and despite the antisocial slant of his activities, You still feel for Him.

Sadly, one cannot say the same for Glenda Farrell's Hardboiled Wisecracking reporter who, much like Lee Tracy in DX, seriously puts a damper on enjoying this. Her annoying character is in here far too much and You will be disgusted by the end. Worth seeing for the historical aspect, but HOUSE OF WAX is much more rewarding viewing. **

[Sculpt]

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1932). Michael Curtiz film made around the same time as the better DOCTOR X also has Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. >>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SPOLIERS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> .

MOTWM is Pre-Code, so gritty throughout with Drug Addiction, Bootlegging, Racism, Police Brutality towards a "Junkie" and a quite effective scare towards the end; apparently Fay had no idea what she would see, so her shriek is genuine. Lionel's character reminds Me a lot of The Phantom of the Opera; dangerous and hideous, but through no fault of his own and despite the antisocial slant of his activities, You still feel for Him.

Sadly, one cannot say the same for Glenda Farrell's Hardboiled Wisecracking reporter who, much like Lee Tracy in DX, seriously puts a damper on enjoying this. Her annoying character is in here far too much and You will be disgusted by the end. Worth seeing for the historical aspect, but HOUSE OF WAX is much more rewarding viewing. **

I was just watching the scene on youtube. Of course they generally shot with just one camera 99% of the time. There's only one angle where she knocks off his wax mask: shot from her back and the dude's front. The shot of her shrieking was from her front, which would have been a take after she had already seen his face. Unless you've read they used multiple camera's for that scene.

Actually, in the book Horror Stars on Radio: The Broadcast Histories of 29 Chilling Hollywood Voices, page 237, Fay said when she knocked the mask off she froze, and stopped, she didn't scream at all. She said they had to make a second mask and shoot it again when she recovered. Watching the scene you can see they cut away from the shot after she freezes, but when they come back to that angle, she just takes the head part off of him. If you compare the shot before and after the cutaway, you can see the angle has a changed a fair amount (Fay's shoulders are much lower in the shot).

I should add, although we can see there's a second take/angle, as the face part is already missing (in the shot after the cutaway), there was no need to make a second mask. If they did make a new mask and shot her destroying it again, they still cut away from it.

This was an interesting tidbit from wiki "The extremely bright light required for filming under the Technicolor process melted the wax figures, and they instead had to be played by actors.[6] Some actors even received eye damage from the lights."

[ImmortalSlasher]

I guess I'll take a look at Mystery of the Wax Museum. Sounds like it's good.

[classic_horror_fan]

Originally Posted by ImmortalSlasher

I guess I'll take a look at Mystery of the Wax Museum. Sounds like it's good.

That one's actually the original "House Of Wax," only with a little different title. That is also the best version out there, in a lot of people's opinions.

[classic_horror_fan]

I looked back at this one recently, and still enjoy it very much. Aside from a Spanish cast and it taking place in then modern times for back when it first came out, it basically tells the same story as the one with Bela Lugosi. It does get into more detail on Renfield's backstory from before he was put under Dracula's spell, to develop the character a bit better. The cast and crew did just as equally a good job as the English cast, making it just as equally enjoyable as the English version with Bela Lugosi. The actors and actresses also played and brought out their roles in their own original ways, and did not try to imitate the English cast at all, keeping this version good, unique, and original, as well as holding up on its own. One big mistake a lot of remakes and alternate versions have made is when the cast and crew tried to mimic the original cast and crew, with that being one of the main things that messed their version up, which is not the case at all for this version. Those who like the version with Bela Lugosi should enjoy this one as well if they can understand Spanish or if they don't mind subtitles.

[DeadbeatAtDawn]

X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes, 1963. 8/10


Director: Roger Corman

[FryeDwight]

Originally Posted by Sculpt

I was just watching the scene on youtube. Of course they generally shot with just one camera 99% of the time. There's only one angle where she knocks off his wax mask: shot from her back and the dude's front. The shot of her shrieking was from her front, which would have been a take after she had already seen his face. Unless you've read they used multiple camera's for that scene.

Actually, in the book Horror Stars on Radio: The Broadcast Histories of 29 Chilling Hollywood Voices, page 237, Fay said when she knocked the mask off she froze, and stopped, she didn't scream at all. She said they had to make a second mask and shoot it again when she recovered. Watching the scene you can see they cut away from the shot after she freezes, but when they come back to that angle, she just takes the head part off of him. If you compare the shot before and after the cutaway, you can see the angle has a changed a fair amount (Fay's shoulders are much lower in the shot).

I should add, although we can see there's a second take/angle, as the face part is already missing (in the shot after the cutaway), there was no need to make a second mask. If they did make a new mask and shot her destroying it again, they still cut away from it.

This was an interesting tidbit from wiki "The extremely bright light required for filming under the Technicolor process melted the wax figures, and they instead had to be played by actors.[6] Some actors even received eye damage from the lights."

Didn't know about another take, Sculpt. Had read a FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND article about Lionel ("The Maddest Doctor") and the impression I got was it was a one take shot

[FryeDwight]

HOUSE OF WAX (1953). This was on the same disc as MYSTERY IN THE WAX MUSEUM and as Classic Horror Fan observed, this is the superior version, although quite similar in parts. Vincent Price is awesome-I thunk this is the film that got people thinking of him as a Horror actor-, the rest of the cast is good (A blonde Carolyn Jones!), great makeup and absolute barnstorming opening/closing of the film.
Saw this at a Midnight movie back in the early 80's in 3-D and thought it was OK, but not much else. Have to say this time I found it quite enjoyable (really good sets also) and would recommend it heartily. Also, check out a very young Charles Bronson! ****

[Sculpt]

Originally Posted by FryeDwight

HOUSE OF WAX (1953). This was on the same disc as MYSTERY IN THE WAX MUSEUM and as Classic Horror Fan observed, this is the superior version, although quite similar in parts. Vincent Price is awesome-I thunk this is the film that got people thinking of him as a Horror actor-, the rest of the cast is good (A blonde Carolyn Jones!), great makeup and absolute barnstorming opening/closing of the film.
Saw this at a Midnight movie back in the early 80's in 3-D and thought it was OK, but not much else. Have to say this time I found it quite enjoyable (really good sets also) and would recommend it heartily. Also, check out a very young Charles Bronson! ****

I liked this one! Bronson as Igor! Although the film layout is a bit odd in that the opening fire scene is the most exciting part, and the revenge killing happens early too, and the rest of the killing is innocent folk.

[FryeDwight]

Originally Posted by Sculpt

I liked this one! Bronson as Igor! Although the film layout is a bit odd in that the opening fire scene is the most exciting part, and the revenge killing happens early too, and the rest of the killing is innocent folk.

Charles Bronson, even at this early stage, still looked craggy!

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>>SPOILERS for NOTLD and, in context, FRIDAY, THE 13th (1980)>>>
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My all time favorite film, which I try to watch at least 1-2 times a year. This time, was reminded of when I went with my roommate in college. NAPS (his initials and an activity he engaged in) was an Exchange student from Caracas, Venezuela and when watching THAT 70'S SHOW, amazed at how much FES was like him, although NAPS was more lucid. Living with him and "Lefty", our other roommate probably resulted in more laughing/fun than I had previously experienced (For the record, for whatever reason, I was "Slats").
NAPS and I saw a lot of films, particularly F13, which scared him out of his wits...when You realize the killer is outside the cabin, the final battle had him curled up in his seat At the finale, when Alice has survived, the lovely photography, the soothing music, the arrival of the police etc had him all relaxed until the "Boo!" which resulted in popcorn flying through the air!
We tried to see NOTLD at a local university, but drunken frat boys made it impossible to enjoy it. A few months later tried again, in an area that wasn't the nicest part of town. NAPS had enjoyed DAWN OF THE DEAD very much, but maybe the gritty filmstock and the overall tone of NOTLDwas more conducive to dread. He jumped a few times and during the cannibal scene, he was grossed out and at one point, I heard him draw in his breath and exclaim "Oh, Sheet! The LEEVER!" Still smile when thinking about it.
NAPS, a salute to You and also a big one for NIGHT and its talented cast/crew; the ones I've met from the film were nothing but nice, making me enjoy the film even more. *****