Horror Documentaries, Again!
By
Kristin Battestella
Well
I suppose we can’t watch horror all
the time, so this is the next best thing – a whiff of askew non-fiction, horror
informatives, and otherwise macabre programming to tide over our terrible little
minds.
Biography:
Stephen King – This 2000
television hour chronicling the best selling horror author details his quiet,
poor early life in Maine, the abandonment of his father, awkward school years,
and his initial love of reading, making primitive newsletters, and adoring
horror movies. Although fans of the man himself probably feel this profile
could have been longer – heck, just a full forty-five minutes of talking to
King would be delightful – anyone who has delusions of grandeur about being an author
can learn something here. Interviews with King, his wife Tabitha, and other family
and friends keep the presentation from getting into the entertainment hyperbole
style that so many of the more recent Biography
episodes unfortunately offer – however some of the New England accents
might be amusing or tough to distinguish for broader viewers. Thankfully, the
natural, honest conversations and smooth narration focus on King’s efforts as a
struggling young writer and family man, and it’s refreshing to see these behind
the scenes difficulties discussed so candidly by the man we so often raise as
the twisted and macabre industry standard. Newer King readers can have a
thoughtful, pensive introduction here along with longtime horror audiences
interested in the spooky King craft.
Corman’s
World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel – “By mistake he made a good picture every once in awhile,” a tearful
Jack Nicholson sums up the campy but beloved tone of this 90 minutes plus with
extras spotlight on Roger Corman featuring interviews with Martin Scorsese, Robert
DeNiro, Ron Howard, Dick Miller, Joe Dante, Bruce Dern, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier,
William Shatner, brother Gene Corman, and many more. Frank conversations on the
cheap, trashy, tastelessness of Corman’s low budget style are counterbalanced
with insights from the unassuming gentleman himself, and time is well spent on his
early Hollywood dissatisfaction before becoming
a one man movie making team for American International Pictures. Interesting retrospectives
on the current outrageous blockbuster obsession and Corman’s under appreciated
legacy also harken back to then radical perspectives about leaving the Golden Age
studio system to develop the new wave of teen cinema and social commentaries thru
lesser known, controversial work such as The
Intruder and favorites like Easy
Rider. There’s not a major horror focus here beyond mentions of the offbeat
A Bucket of Blood and The Little Shop of Horrors or House of Usher and the success of the Price
and Poe cycle, and exploitation film clips, language, nudity, gore, and LSD talk
make this tough for a classroom viewing. Sadly, the references and politics of
the time may also not be fully understood by today’s younger audience. However,
film school aficionados and cult geeks will love seeing how many Hollywood stars and styles have a Corman independent film
touch.
The
Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood
Created a Monster – Found on the
1931 Frankenstein video releases,
this bemusing and self-referential 45 minutes begins with the Mary Shelley
source and continues with the still standing film iconography. Interviews with
Sara Karloff, film historians, and modern filmmakers discuss the early stage
presentations, make up designs, difficulties in going from page to screen, and the
long lasting sympathy of the monster and his childlike innocence. These
scholars, family, and film friends have a lot to say and the presentation may
seem too fast paced or all over the place to some – a little bit of everything
including German expressionism, James Whale influences, clips from Gods and Monsters, Dwight Frye
typecasting, and Karloff opinions is covered in the time here. Most of the time
is also spent on the first Universal film before touching on Bride of Frankenstein and other sequels,
the monster mash ups films, and Hammer retellings in the final ten minutes, but
increasing plot implausibilities and film flaws are also frankly discussed. A
lot of the material is second hand reminiscing, too. However, the anecdotes
will be charming for horror fans and classic film lovers alike.
The
Road to Dracula – The recently late
Dracula co-star Carla Laemmle – niece
of Universal head Carl Laemmle – hosts this half hour look at the Stoker
phenomenon’s rise from page to screen. Film historians, museum curators, and
interviews with Clive Barker, Bela Lugosi Jr, and Dwight Frye’s son anchor
comparisons to the 1931 Spanish version of Dracula
and clips of the Universal 1979 adaptation. Laemmle’s narration is understandably
a bit wobbly and sprinkled with a few old lady saucy quips, but the wealth of
insights shared is too much fun for a horror enthusiast. The discussion could
certainly have been longer as well, with an all encompassing look at Dracula films and adaptations, but talk
on Stoker’s genesis, silent film interpretations, Lugosi casting gold, and long
lasting capes and widow’s peaks setting the vampire standards are more than
enough to chew on here. Intimate, nostalgic insights accentuate the behind the
scenes points, making this retrospective perfect for the classroom and horror
or classic movie buffs.
No comments:
Post a Comment