#2851
|
|||
|
|||
THE CURSE OF THE FLY (1965). Although no flying insects are here and Vincent Price is sorely missed (According to the featurette, VP was working at AIP and could not get out, thus Brian Donlevy as the only name actor here), the teleporter is still being used with less than desirable effects. Not a bad little film with some creepy scenes throughout. It also looks like David Cronenberg got some inspiration for parts of his 1986 FLY film. ***
|
#2852
|
||||
|
||||
The Vampire Bat 1933
3/10 Majestic Pictures took advantage of the upcoming release of Mystery of the Wax Museum (which was to have a long post-production time) and grabbed it's two stars: Fay Wray and Lionel Atwill (who were done shooting Wax), leased Universal Pictures sets (formerly used for Frankenstein), and made and released The Vampire Bat a month before Wax Museum was finished and released. The sets and cinematography are pretty good, and you get to see the great Dwight Frye try to make something out of a mentally handicapped bit part, Herman, who has lines like, "Herman get for you." Film needed Frye to star, because there wasn't much there for any actor. The story is a hodge-podge of horror elements: vampirism, hypno-telepathy, and the creation of artificial life. At least there's a mystery, but it's really MST2K fodder. Last edited by Sculpt; 10-02-2014 at 05:11 PM. |
#2853
|
|||
|
|||
THE SNORKEL (1958). Hammer noir that starts out quite well, then becomes a long Nancy Drew mystery with an incredibly annoying teenage girl.
POSSIBLE SPOILER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> .. Could have ended with SUCH a bang, but probably not able to end it on such a bleak note back then, so had to tack on lame ending. Shame. **1/2 |
#2854
|
|||
|
|||
MANIAC (1962)-Another Hammer noir that is quite salacious and sadistic, but loses impact towards the end. ***
|
#2855
|
||||
|
||||
Watching Brides of Dracula right now. Having myself a little Hammer marathon. Starting with this, then will move on to Curse of the Werewolf. Tomorrow I'll continue with Phantom of the Opera, Paranoiac (which I highly recommend to neverending and everyone), The Kiss of the Vampire, Nightmare, Night Creatures, and ending with The Evil of Frankenstein.
__________________
|
#2856
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
The Birds 7/10 Been a long time since I've seen the Birds. Forgot about the opening story of the very forward Tippi Hedren breaking into a stranger's house to drop off Love Birds and then staying at his ex-girlfriends place. I now notice the birds are matted over the human scenes. Never noticed that the first time. Nice to see the beautiful Jessica Tandy, lookin fine. Of course Tippi and Suzanne Pleshette are quite fetching as well. I forgot Veronica Cartwright was in this. Bizarre coincidence, I had just watched veronica about the same age in the Twilight Zone episode "I Sing the Body Electric", not to mention a few Leave It to Beaver episodes. She was perhaps best known as the blonde in Alien. In "Psycho fashion", there's the 'left turn' at the 1/3, or so, point of the flim, and the birds muscle in. I forgot how quickly the film ends after the first attack. Seems to end abruptly. Impactful as horror-suspense (I think less so circa 2014), but not a particularly strong narrative, nor strong characters. Last edited by Sculpt; 10-12-2014 at 05:24 PM. |
#2857
|
||||
|
||||
That's a bit harsh isn't it, Sculpt?!
Its a decent little murder mystery, with a great atmosphere for the time. It might fall apart a bit in the second half, but its not that bad. The cast alone have gotta lift this beyond a 3/10.... I'm sure you can find an extra couple of points for this fun little flick, don't be so tight. |
#2858
|
||||
|
||||
I, too, was shocked and disturbed by Sculpt's 3/10 for Vampire Bat.
|
#2859
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Quote:
It does have good atmosphere, and at least there is a mystery, but it's not a particularly good mystery... with each murder they discover the body has no blood, and never anything more. Let's face it, either the detective sucks, or the script. Although the shot is a bit static, I did like the opening scene with all the men around the table, decent dialogue & acting. What the blood was being used for was... what's the word... gumptious. I'll take it on good advice to upgrade to: 4/10 Last edited by Sculpt; 10-13-2014 at 09:15 AM. |
#2860
|
|||
|
|||
RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE (1944). A Dracula in all but name from Columbia Studios that is slow plodding with two of the most limpid leading ladies ever and a talking werewolf (swear to God!) who carries a bundle under his arm and looks like a cairn terrier. Bela Lugosi, as usual, carries the film with decent support from Miles Mander. **1/2
|
|
|