classical shivers
 

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“… somehow the old black and white films have always felt more private … as though watching them alone and late at night transmutes the experience into something utterly … intimate.”
~ from “Film Moi” by Robert Dunbar

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Over the years, I’ve written scores of articles about classic films, many of them appearing in publications like Film Forum, Cineaste, Art & Understanding. With this article (which I’m busily developing into a book proposal) I was finally able to focus on the aspects of classic horror films that most fascinate me: aesthetic quality and literary details.

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Check it out at The Delirium Insider.


http://www.deliriumbooks.com/insider/?p=344

I’d be interested in hearing what you think.

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Robert...really enjoyed reading your movie list of must sees. I agree with you on so many of them, I also consider that scene in The Innocents one of the best ever. The film Witchcraft with Lon Chaney, Jr. is now available on Midnite Movies dvd. It has some terrific atmosphere and good directing. Its one of my favs up there with Night of the Eagle, City of the Dead & The Bloody Pit of Dr. M. Speaking of, have you seen any of the CasaNegra DVDs? Ive really enjoyed all of them so far. Best, Chris

Cat People was definitely ahead of it's time. The Innocents was also the single biggest influence on sheer terror, following the footsteps of The Haunting.

Good list, and good job making it.


Edgar

Film MOI
 

That is an EXCELLENT list of movies!

I agree with you 100%.

I love all of the very atmospheric Val Lewton films. I have the set of 7 films on DVD of Val Lewton's masterpieces, with I Walked With A Zombie, The Cat People & The Leopard Man heading the list.

Both Seance On A Wet Afternoon and The Haunting are superior films. I still need to get Seance for my collection.

The Uninvited is probably the best ghost story going ( and no gore!). Great atmosphere and chills.

The Laughton version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame is my favorite and I never get tired of looking at it.

I have The Devil & Daniel Webster on VHS and it has a scrambler so I cannot transfer it to DVD. The DVD version is VERY expensive. This too is another great movie and fantasy and it stars one of my favorites, Edward Arnold.

I list Night of The Demon as my favorite horror movie. One of the most atmospheric and chilling ever.

The Thing from 1951 is one of the first major 50's sci fi movies and one of the best. 'Keep Watching The Skies"

The Old dark House with Karloff & Laughton is appropriately creepy.

Everything else on the list ( there are a couple I am unfamiliar with) are appropriately chosen.

Recommendations:

The Day The Earth Stood Still ( a superior & intelligent Sci fi film)

The Man From Planet X ( creepy alien visitor film set on Scottish moors)

The Devil Doll (Lionel Barrymore) - I have blogged on this one

Freaks

White Zombie

Well, that's it!

You and I have similar taste in films.


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Countess Marya

classics
 

Thanks, Chris. "The Innocents" and "Night of the Eagle" (aka "Burn, Witch, Burn") are among my favorties too. You've got some pretty esoteric choices here yourself: "City of the Dead" (also with a script by George Baxt) is amazing. And you're recommending "The Black Pit of Dr. M"? I don't actually know much about Mexican horror films, aside from "The Witch's Mirror," which of course is to die for.

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By the way, I hear "The Undying Monster" is just about to be released on DVD.

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Burn Witch Burn
 

I forgot to comment on this one.

Burn, Witch, Burn with Janet Blair and Peter Wyngarde is one of the best of it's kind for this type of movie.

I have it on VHS and was able to transfer to DVD.

This was a great and chilling movie. Maltin gives it three stars, I give it four.

Also: THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN TO WATCH A CRISP, CLEAR BLACK AND WHITE FILM.

There is just something about them that I just love. I like the black and white better than the color ( with the exception of spectacles and movies filmed in scenic country).

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Countess Marya

Hi Robert...Yes, sorry, it is the Black Pit of Dr. M. I highly, highly recc. I have Black Pit, The Witch's Mirror, Curse of The Crying Woman, The Vampire Collection, Brainiac, The Man & The Monster & The Living Coffin. Here's a link with trailers: http://www.casanegrafilms.com/casanegra_catalog.html
I was wary too, not familiar w/ Mexican horror, I think they're all wonderful, dripping with everything we love. The Undying Monster? Ill keep my eyes open for it. There's an amazing German film called Der Nackte und der Satan ("The Nude and the Devil," aka The Head, West Germany, 1959). Horst Frank plays Dr. Ood. Need I say more? Best, Chris

classics
 

"Cat People was definitely ahead of it's time."

Absolutely. And infinitely more sophisticated than the remake.

Isn't it funny? The remake had big stars, nudity, gallons of blood, expensive special effects, even David Bowie on the soundtrack. The original -- equipped only with taste and style -- blew it out of the water. Do you think Hollywood will ever get that message?

classics
 

That is a great, great film. Depth. Subtelty. Atmosphere. Full of the sort of dreamlike imagery that inevitably finds its way into your own dreams.

Praise from the master! Er, mistress. No, wait, that doesn't sound very nice either. Anyway, praise indeed. And thanks for the recommendations, Countess. If I ever do turn this into a book -- the essay started out as a book proposal -- there will definitely be a chapter on science fiction.

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Great list...Cat People will always remain the standard for atmospheric horror.

And in response to the above picture, several months ago I went to a screening of The Day the Earth Stood Still and met Patrica Neal. It was very cool.