Our 2023 at InSessionFilm!

 

Despite a tough 2023, it was important to me to keep up my moonlighting commitments at InSessionFilm, both with Long Form Movie Reviews and Top Ten Lists - not to mention the Women InSession Podcast! 

Here's a rundown of everything from Rachel Weisz to Vincent Price: 

The Underseen Rachel Weisz

The Banishing uses Shame as Commentary

Kick Ass Women's Comedies

Cool Eighties Comedies

She Will Addresses Women's Fears

Statement Making Seventies Science Fiction

Top Ten Michael Fassbender Essentials 

Top Ten Vincent Price Horrors

The Vincent Price, Roger Corman, Edgar Allan Poe Cycle

Great Bela Lugosi Horrors that aren't Dracula

I'm so grateful to have this film outlet to write, discuss, and share a variety of film thoughts past, present, or obscure! Here's a small sample of some of my favorite Women InSession Podcast episodes:

Robert Mitchum

Top 5 Worst Best Picture Nominees

Swashbuckler Movies

The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Tootsie and The Birdcage

Some Like it Hot

Underrated 1980s Movies

Memento

1939 in Film

Christopher Nolan and The Prestige

Wild Vampire Movies

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton

Brendan Fraser

Little Women vs Little Women

A Christmas Carol Adaptations 

I don't always get a lot of interaction on Film Twitter, such that X is, but it is a tremendous privilege to share my film discourse with you and thank you for tuning in here, there, everywhere! 🥰

Top Ten: Dracula!

 

Welcome to our new Top Tens series in celebration of I Think, Therefore I Review's Tenth Anniversary! These monthly lists will highlight special themes and topics from our extensive archive of reviews.

This time I Think, Therefore I Review presents in chronological order...

Our Top Ten Dracula Appearances!

Nosferatu

Dracula (1931)

Dracula (1931 Spanish Version)

Horror of Dracula

Dan Curtis' Dracula

Count Dracula (1977)

Dracula (1979)

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Dracula 2000

Dracula (2013 series)

 

Enjoy our vampire label or Horror page for even more!

 

I Think, Therefore I Review began as the blog home for previously published reviews and reprinted critiques by horror author Kristin Battestella. Naturally older articles linked here may be out of date and codes or formatting may be broken. Please excuse any errors and remember our Top Tens will generally only include films, shows, books, or music previously reviewed at I Think, Therefore I Review. 

 

Recent Horror Documentaries

Recent Horror Documentaries

by Kristin Battestella

Gather round any time of year for these informative documentary scares, monsters of the silver screen, ye olde witches, and retro ghosts. Boo!

Monster Madness: The Golden Age of The Horror Film – Moody scoring, photo stills, archive footage, and black and white clips accent this eighty minute retrospective chronicling the silent horror classics and Universal Horror glory from the famed Stage 28, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and The Phantom of the Opera to Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Mummy. Guest speakers include Carla Laemmle, Bela Lugosi Jr, and Sara Karloff alongside newsreels celebrating The Bride of Frankenstein despite Depression era censorship. The narration moves fast, however – packing in a one and a half speed sentence before the highlights chronologically discuss Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, James Whale, and the continued provocative power, nightmare inducing effectiveness, and good versus evil morality plays of these really nice guys creating monster men. Further success in The Old Dark House and The Black Cat would typecast these favorites amid 1939 Hollywood heights and wartime escapism scares, and MGM competition from Fu Man Chu and Mark of the Vampire, Paramount's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Peter Lorre in Mad Love add more than just Universal to the conversation. Brief side chats also mention the growth of horror makeups and effects, SF horrors, Island of Lost Souls, and RKO's King Kong before The Mummy's Hand and The Wolf Man degrade into the more juvenile fluff mash ups such House of Frankenstein and Abott and Costello meet Frankenstein. At times, this seems somewhat unofficial, with Monster Rally panel interviews, repeated trailers, and an uneven focus – some topics are fleeting, others ramble and stray from the comment at hand. Lesser sequels are skipped entirely, and this leg ends on an abrupt down note, unable to stand on its own and forcing viewers to continue with Monster Madness: Mutants, Space Invaders, and Drive Ins. While mostly superficial with nothing new for longtime horror fans, fun anecdotes keep this informative and atmospheric for newer genre audiences. 

 

Monster Madness: The Gothic Revival of Horror – This eighty-two minutes continues recounting the horror history with Hammer Films' early struggles and suspense pictures before edgy SF fare like The Quatermass Experiment and the Technicolor Hammer Horror renaissance with Horror of Dracula and The Curse of Frankenstein. Tossing in Elvis, however, alongside the state of fifties cinema and hammy television horrors meanders, delaying more interesting talk on Christopher Lee's larger than life monster stature and the beloved Peter Cushing as the villainous Dr. Frankenstein. Rambling archive footage with Lee, Jimmy Sangster, Freddie Francis, Ingrid Pitt, and Oliver Reed is also difficult to discern at times while the chronology sputters over The Hound of Baskervilles, The Mummy, and Hammer's increasingly ambitious set design, colorful gore, and saucy skin. Standalone thrillers including Paranoiac, Scream of Fear, and Curse of the Werewolf are discussed alongside the varying success of sequels such as The Revenge of Frankenstein, the polarizing Evil of Frankenstein, Dracula: Prince of Darkness, and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave. Other hits like Psycho, Amicus productions such as The Skull and The Creeping Flesh, and anthologies including Dr. Terror's House of Horrors are name dropped, but this session unfortunately wastes more time missing famous horror classics such as The Innocents and The Haunting – and Vincent Price is never even mentioned! Censorship battles and raunchy from The Vampire Lovers or Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde don't hide the lagging mood, and this ostensible presentation ends on The Satanic Rites of Dracula without discussing further Amicus and AIP productions or even more Hammer gems such as Frankenstein Created Woman and Countess Dracula. These Monster Madness documentaries need to go together, yet the series should have been either exhaustive two hour slots or a half hour series with tighter focus per topic. Despite a sentimental and flawed presentation, this video has enough serviceable nostalgia for Hammer lovers and tip of the iceberg information for budding horror fans.

Witches: A Century of Murder – Historian Suzannah Lipscomb hosts this two-part 2015 special chronicling the seventeenth century persecutions and torture run rampant as witchcraft hysteria spread from James I in the late fifteen hundreds through Charles I and the English Civil War. 1589 Europe has burn at the stake fever thanks to the Malleus Maleficarum belief that witches were in league with the devil, and contemporaneous sources, books, and confessions help recount violent techniques and sexual aspects that may not be classroom friendly. Innocent birthmarks or moles on maids and midwives were used and misconstrued until naming names and pointing fingers snowballed into deplorable jail conditions, hangings, and conspiracy. Postulating on why the innocent would confess is addressed alongside the details from the North Berwick Witch Trials – including garroting and even the smell of burning human fat. James I's own Daemonologie becomes a license to hunt witches as the 1645 then-normal rationale that witches have sex with the devil escalates to extreme Puritan paranoia. Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins takes the law into his own hands via body searches, sleep deprivation, and agonizing deaths while unknown medicinal ills or causes were conveniently mistaken as evidence for witchcraft accusations. Names and faces are put to the exorbitant number of accused while on location scenery from Scotland to Oxford, Essex, and Denmark add to the prison tours and suspenseful trial re-enactments. Here specific facts and detailed information happen early and often rather than any hollow paranormal herky jerky in your face design. Community fears, social cleansing frenzy, and things done in the name of good and God against evil and the Devil at work accent the timeline of how and why this prosecution became persecution run amok. Instead of broad, repetitive sensationalism or the same old Salem talk, this is a mature and well presented narrative on the erroneous impetus of the witchcraft hysteria.

Skip It!

The Haunting of Fox Hollow Farm – This sixty-four minute documentary from 2011 opens with a disclaimer on the interviewee testimonies before more inserts explaining the history of the titular Indiana farm and the subsequent paranormal investigation. Archive footage and news reports add drownings and skeletal evidence to the murderous past, lending a bit of authenticity to this obviously low budget and on the fly production pretending to be a paranormal reality show with green night filming and shadowed talking heads. Jerky skeptical men dismiss the fanatical women and numerous psychics, mediums, demonologists, and shamans while rambling, repetitive visuals, graphics, camera pans, and editing cuts make audiences wonder what the heck is happening here. I feel like this never expressly states that it is about heinous serial killer crimes and their subsequent hauntings thanks to double talk on both, and it takes over fifteen meandering minutes before getting into the case details. Instead of actually seeing the investigative action, narrated montages and music video slide shows feign something fantastic but really just waste time on the same minutiae, treading tires in an incoherent attempt to play at Unsolved Mysteries or imitate today's ad nauseam paranormal reality shows. I couldn't take this whole thing, the case has been covered elsewhere, and reading the Wikipedia page was better.

More Horror Documentaries Again!

More Horror Documentaries Yet!

By Kristin Battestella

What's the next best thing to watching horror? Watching other people talk about zombies, scary classics, and the history of frightful film!

Birth of the Living Dead – This 2013 frank and colorful conversation with George A. Romero recounts his early start with Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, beer commercials, and stalled productions before establishing the zombie onscreen as we know it today and using horror to make social statements on Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement with Night of the Living Dead. Romero and his associates wore numerous hats for the organic filming and bare minimum $100,000 production, leading to a necessary ingenuity shaping the realistic horror and self aware fears onscreen as they fought against studio demands, difficult cinema distribution, and copyright issues. Contemporary filmmakers and students also provide detailed scene by scene analysis and discuss the groundbreaking racial impacts of the film, early uses of the inaccuracy of television and radio media to parallel 1968 news coverage, and erroneous law enforcement implications of the time – topics still very relevant today. It's interesting to hear how the script did not mention race and went unchanged once Duane Jones was cast in the lead – the focus of the film was primarily a cynical denouement on the large mistakes or small differences that would unravel mid century middle America in the face of unexplained, non-supernatural horror but nonetheless inadvertently addresses racial issues of the era. The villain isn't made clear and no one actually wins, and these frightening concepts influenced numerous political films to come. It's a real treat to have an entire 76 minutes dedicated to discussing Night of the Living Dead, and this documentary is perfect for horror fans or sociology classrooms looking to dissect horror onscreen and off.

Nightmare Factory – John Carpenter, George A. Romero, John Landis, Elijah Wood, Norman Reedus, Tom Savini, Robert Rodriguez, and more discuss the difficulty of makeup designs, prosthetic effects, and bringing scares to life in this 94 minute 2011 special. There are warehouse tours, historical horror props, early talk of Lon Chaney and Jack Pierce, gore in progress limbs, macabre sculptures, and body casts alongside animatronics and puppetry secrets. However, the primary focus here is not on the history of horror effects but rather Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger, and their KNB Effects company. Primitive childhood films, behind the scenes footage from Day of the Dead to The Walking Dead, and interviews with the Nicotero family help shape the personal rise and artistic camaraderie as the late seventies horror wave brought the effects industry into mainstream films. Remember, in the past it wasn't cool to be into creepy gross stuff like it is now! Of course, Robert Kurtzman – the K in KNB Effects – is only briefly mentioned amid this rock n roll makeup fraternity, and the presentation is uneven, meandering vainly over KNB's monopoly on the effects business and wasting time on funny anecdotes. Though diva aspects, perfectionism, and CGI competition are addressed, these counter topics are too swift and the absence of a narrator to balance the chronology or transition segments further contributes to the seemingly random structure. I might have preferred to see a more linear, practical behind the scenes instead – use this fake blood mix, rubber mask mold that. However, there are some neat insights into the special effects evolution, with debates on the practicality of making one small piece versus an entire monstrosity, what you can do with little money compared to a big budget, and ultimately how tedious a production can truly be. The conversation may be somewhat rocky, but this remains an informative treat for behind the scenes enthusiasts and scary die hards. 

 

Universal Horror – Kenneth Branagh narrates this 1998 documentary previously available on other Universal DVD videos and now accenting the Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection blu-ray set. These 95 minutes are packed with interviews from Ray Bradbury, Gloria Stuart, Fay Wray, Carla Laemmle, Sara Karloff, Forrest J. Ackerman, and yet more actors, actresses, authors, filmmakers, and historians discussing the Hollywood Gothic and European design trends begun by Universal after their early start in silents and westerns before The Hunchback of Notre Dame. From foundings with Carl Laemmle, the famed Stage 28, and The Phantom of the Opera to The Cat and the Canary, The Man Who Laughs, and London After Midnight, time here is also well spent on directors Tod Browning and James Whale and their talkie success with Dracula and Frankenstein. Due time focuses on Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, and Boris Karloff, too, before King King nostalgia, more Depression era horror, and The Black Cat. Yes, this is a lot of stuff to cover, but the orderly progression moves at a nice pace on each leg of the journey thanks to film clips, rare footage and photos, and family anecdotes. Highlights on German Expressionism, earlier silent inspirations, and the beginnings of censorship battles help frame Universal’s place in the budding horror glory, but the time here only covers up to Dracula’s Daughter, Son of Frankenstein, and The Wolf Man. Intriguing topics such as bankruptcy and the end of the Laemmle era, World War II parallels in horror, the forties second wave of sequels, and Abbott and Costello mash ups are quickly squished in the final fifteen minutes. One could do an entire mini series on the history of this studio, indeed. However, this extended retrospective has more than enough to delight movie history buffs and horror fans old and new.

Skip It

Doc of the Dead – This 80 minute 2014 special tackles the zombie rise on film from the medium's infancy to Romero's work and beyond with spoof newscasts, zombie town hall meetings, film clips from White Zombie to World War Z, and quips from Simon Pegg, Bruce Campbell, and more. Early film racism, voodoo metaphors, biological scares, and science fiction undead mixes create an interesting conversation alongside Black Friday irony, capitalism fears, and social commentary. Retrospective sit downs discuss how new disasters both natural and manmade have created a millennial zombie resurgence with video games and all things The Walking Dead. Unfortunately, many zombie films go unmentioned in favor of more pop than cinema. Real life voodoo practitioners and global undead history are pushed aside in favor of a lengthy fast versus slow zombie debate. Obvious metaphors are nothing new to hardcore fans, and the 98% white male experts end up repeating the same pretentious things. The ironic hipster tunes and geek humor is a bit much, too – on the street funny people and music montages are unnecessary and off the mark. Scientific perspectives are dropped in favor of zombie commercials, zombie weddings, and kid zombie movies followed by onscreen experts saying we haven't jumped the zombie shark just yet. This counter productive approach at once tells us how mainstream zombies have become whilst also presenting bizarre aspects such as undead rape fantasy and zombie porn – which of course is where the few female commentators get to look foolish. Time is padded with double talk on why zombies are so big but how such popularity is baffling, and panelists say they would leave their kids behind and jump off buildings in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Ultimately, this embracing fandom hug feels more like a cultural mockery complete with homophobic comedy, and I stopped caring before the last forty minutes.

Bela and Boris Deux!

Bela and Boris Together Again!

By Kristin Battestella

What’s not to love when that diabolical duo Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff get together for a macabre good time? Here’s a dash of Boris, a pinch of Bela, and a whole lot of early Hollywood Mayhem!

Black Friday – Friday the 13^th themes, spinning newspapers, old time prisons, last rites, and dead man walking scares for Doctor Karloff start off this 1940 genre bender before a shocking flashback plot, seriously sweet roadsters, intense murder scenes, cool hidden panels, stylish fedoras, and fabulous frocks. The narration and inter title-esque notes onscreen match the brain swapping surgery montage, high-end trains, classy locales, and swanky music – despite the wild medicine making the revenge possible, this feels like a thriller not a dated B sci-fi production. Who are the men in pursuit? Where’s the money? The dramatic music and Jekyll and Hyde personality transformations may be over the top or confusing to some but the fun is in guessing the next victim amid the rooftop shootouts and dames in peril. Though he’s a sinister gangster, Lugosi has very little screen time. He delivers his lines just fine with the right criminal pacing and threat, but his accent does seem too out of place and unexplained. Good time here aside, one does wonder what might have been had Lugosi played the mastermind doctor and Karloff gotten his murderous switch on as originally intended. This kind of crossover could have easily fallen into a woeful mix of abdominal science and cliché cops and robbers, but if Lugosi’s incongruous suave is the only complaint, then hot damn!

The Invisible Ray – Bela and Boris team for this 1936 science fiction 80 minutes – complete with a fun disclaimer suggesting that scientific fact was once thought of as the fantastics we are about to see. Add a stormy introduction, creepy old ladies, wild electricity, misunderstood demonstrations, and a cool mix of old world interiors with crazy science devices and the mood is set. The pretty ingénues and similar men are a bit standard and their love triangle distracts somewhat from our horror maestros, but the romance could be worse. Though he’s rocking a sweet goatee, we don’t see Lugosi as Dr. Benet as much as mad scientist Karloff. However, their neat Freud and Jung differences and reluctant but respectful allied approach is a treat. Yes, the talk of catching rays of light from Andromeda is preposterous, but our boys are so earnest in their cause that the audience goes along with the newspaper headlines, cool welding masks, and sizzling laboratory sounds. Some expert viewers may dislike all this faux jargon hooey in addition to the stereotypical tribal designs and the cliché safari scenes, but the old time science remains likeable as does pleasant outdoor footage and the radioactive, vengeful, and literally glowing Karloff.

The Raven – He’s hamming it up and quoting death as his talisman – Bela Lugosi is creepy as ever behind his doctor’s mask and a suave god complex for this 1935 Poe based hour. The bearded, raspy, demented looking Boris Karloff (also of the unrelated 1963 mash up of the same name with Vincent Price and Peter Lorre) is trying to reform his criminal ways, but Lugosi’s twisted doctoring wrenches that! This quick plot wastes no time thanks to car accidents, desperate medicine, titular quotes, mad love, and torture gear. Though not a full on, proper adaptation of the famed poem, great shadows, interiors, organ music, furs, fedoras, and screams accent the obsessed with Poe layers and madcap style. A large ensemble can make it tough to tell who is who, and we don’t see much of the Poe-esque devices or their violence compared to the torture porn we expect today. However, the time here is steeped in an entertaining interwar gothic atmosphere – the wild contraptions are fun yet there are poignant moments and comeuppance amid the haunted house attraction mayhem. Edgar aficionados and fans of the cast will enjoy the uncanny charm here.

This trio appears on The Bela Lugosi Collection release, a double sided single disc also featuring Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Black Cat, which we’ve previously reviewed here. Ironically, this set in itself is more like a Lugosi and Karloff twice the fun gathering. Four of the five features celebrate the duo – and sometimes there’s a lot more Boris than Bela. Not all the titles are horror-centric, either but showcase more pre-war science fiction designs. I nitpick and there are no features, but The Bela Lugosi Collection is an affordable video with heaps of Poe inspiration. The short runtimes are perfect for an entertaining marathon, and there’s really no excuse not to watch!

 

Horror Documentaries, Again!

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.

Bela, Boris, Lon, and John

Bela and Boris and Lon and John

By Kristin Battestella

Well it’s no Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. However, what horror fan doesn’t want a night in with any of these terrifically terrifying gents? 

Gallery of Horrors – It’s known by numerous titles and there are certainly better anthologies, but host John Carradine classes up “The Witch’s Clock,” the first tale in this 1967 amalgam. Colorful mists and ominous music over the opening credits set the mood along with old décor, cobwebs, and typewriters, but the low budget production shows in the hasty editing, rushed plots, and cliché spooky double talk. This hokey scripting and telling instead of showing doesn’t help the mostly wooden second tier cast either, and the period “King Vampire” story serves up commonplace crime theories instead of capitalizing on its small town suspicion and hysteria. “Monster Raid” also goes for a nonsensical over the top narration instead of its intriguing mad scientist experiments, but Lon Chaney Jr. gets his Dr. Frankenstein on in “Spark of Life.” Despite heavy possibilities, fun performances, and an intriguing one room laboratory setting, this leg moves entirely too fast. I’d love to have seen Our Man Creighton tackle this in his prime! The fifth and final “Alucard” tale has better scripting and delivery, and the twist makes up for any confusing action. The film as a whole isn’t bad – in fact, it can be fun to spot the reused backgrounds and footage from the Corman/Poe cycle films in some sort of mash up drinking game. However, the video is dark and tough to see at times with some innate flaws, and the fast, harmless fun feels designed for juveniles or short attention spans. Maybe that wasn’t the intention at the time, but the none too scary, moody, and atmospheric fun is perfect for a kid’s sleepover or family movie night. 

House of Frankenstein – Before House of Dracula (already reviewed here), sad wolfy Lon Chaney Jr., slick wannabe mad scientist Boris Karloff, and seductive vamp John Carradine ganged up for this 1944 70 minutes along with Universal horror company hunchback J. Carrol Naish, carnival showman George Zucco, and inspector Lionel Atwill. Yes, there are loose connections to the titular tellings – a brother who was supposedly an assistant in the monster raising – and even more timeline questions and canon fodder from Frankenstein meets the Wolfman. However, great lightning, storms, prison escapes, macabre atmosphere, shadows, and fun plot twists keep up the intensity. All these monsters somehow afoot on the continent! Though hokey at times today, the moody sets, contemporary dressings, carriage chases, ice caverns, and neat effects for Dracula’s resurrection, trick rings, and bats must have been wartime wild to see. The whiff of romances and young couples are dated as well, and Anne Gwynne (The Black Cat) is more fun under Dracula’s brief spell. Some of this monster action feels like mini vignettes moving from one spooky segment to the next rather than concurrent interwoven plots, but everyone has his scene of ominous and there’s plenty of conflict for this Universal monster road trip. Longtime fans can wing it with the rally fun, but younger audiences interested in classic horror might find this to be a bemusing starter piece, too. 

The Human Monster –A poor print, primitive video release, and woeful audio mar this 1939 75 minutes also called The Dark Eyes of London. It’s tough to tell what’s happening at times, and the usual cop colloquialisms litter the plodding pace along with unnecessary transitions featuring people walking to and fro or telephoning up for tea. Fortunately, Bela Lugosi is looking suave in a pre-war stylish suit and belying his nefarious doctoring swindles. His switcharoo subtlety between a generous façade and the slick power of suggestion is disturbingly entertaining. Though the creepy organ music and destitute conditions add to the eerie portrayal of the blind, there’s isn’t a lot of macabre or enough Bela onscreen – most of the focus is on the generic cops and their one step behind antics or the amiss humor. Screaming damsels in straight jackets and the shootout finale, however, make up for some of the obvious crimes. And did I mention the fashion nostalgia and spinning newspaper montage? Today’s audiences won’t find this one that scary and a proper restoration would do wonders, but Lugosi fans can enjoy this fun in a marathon with other lesser known Bela treats.

The Old Dark House – Bride of Frankenstein director James Whale opens this 1932 70 minutes with a bemusing Karloff disclaimer insisting that this is the same versatile actor from Frankenstein before serving up Oscar nominee Gloria Stuart (Titanic), winners Melvin Douglas (Hud) and Charles Laughton (The Private Life of Henry VIII), and more over the top character archetypes and cliché family crazy. Yes, Douglas’ playboy hero is too flippant to start, the of the time delivery is a bit much, and some of the song and dance mannerisms, humor, and Jazz Age attitudes won’t be appreciated by today’s viewers. I wouldn’t call this a black comedy per se either, but the self-aware wit is wonderfully conscious of the contrived circumstances, each one thing after another situation, and every suspense increasing psychotic family member. That lovely roadster and more vintage style anchor the firelight, shadowy reflections, and dark framing – this is a well-filmed picture with no hokey stunts or action speed. Thunder, lightning, rumbling mudslides, and a creepy Welsh manor match the off kilter camerawork, shock moments, and near brow beating harshness of the titular owners. There are only a few sets, but the stage-like atmosphere builds its mood through character reveals. While it may be tough to hear or understand without subtitles, interesting personal dialogue, awkward interwar conversations, and religious arguments add intellectual substance to the family secrets and romantic tiffs. Expected Whale suggestions and a whiff of scandalous pre-code lingerie add some juicy, too – not to mention our simpleton but drunk, touchy, and menacing butler Karloff! Despite a somewhat quick resolution and a few innate flaws in this once lost film, the surprisingly fun but creepy old age make up, unexpected twists, and horror smarts hold up delightfully for today’s gothic thriller audiences. 

And Two Documentaries!

Karloff: The Gentle Monster – This 2006 38 minute documentary is not the hour long Biography episode of the same name but rather a lovely little retrospective found on the Frankenstein blu-ray releases. Although the beginning briefly mentions Karloff’s pre-Universal film appearances, the focus here is with the subtle, silent sympathy of Karloff’s monstrous characters and his long lasting horror appeal. From Frankenstein to later stage work beyond horror such as Arsenic and Old Lace, film scholars and historians discuss early comparisons to Lon Chaney, difficulties with horror make up’s infancy, and more scary film glory with classics such as The Mummy and The Black Cat. Attention is given to Karloff’s quiet success as a character actor thanks to his physicality and ability to be both frightening and sensual at the same time along with his spooky television series and his tireless work across mediums and generations. This is the voice of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, people! It’s also interesting to see movie buffs theorizing on the over reaching and decreasing quality of the studio’s Frankenstein series, beating it into the ground as the franchises, sequels, and remakes do today. Boris fans and horror lovers can eat up the clips and nostalgia here, for sure.

Lugosi: The Dark Prince – Like Karloff, Bela Lugosi’s early life and acting career before Dracula go unnoticed in this 36 minute documentary accompanying the 1931 Dracula blu-ray video. Interviews with genre directors Joe Dante, Jimmy Sangster, and other film scholars and authors instead spend the majority of time here on Lugosi’s quintessential appearance in the budding horror cinema and discuss how his phonetic learning of lines accentuated his hypnotic, handsome, somewhat scandalous and always sensual acting style. This masterful paranormal charisma of course unfortunately typecast him, but clips and analysis on Murders in the Rue Morgue, White Zombie, Son of Frankenstein, and The Raven will be a treat for those interested in the irony of Lugosi’s long lasting iconography but relatively short-lived success and underatedness as an actor. Even if the talk isn’t about the man’s personal life per se, there are great insights into the craft here, making for a lovely little bittersweet study on the quick rise and fall of a horror icon.

Just Vamps 3!

Just Vamps III!

By Kristin Battestella

Uno, dos, tres – we are rounding up another batch of saucy and classic vampire delights to whet your appetite! 

Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter – The titular Horst Janson (Murphy’s War) certainly looks suave in his period frocks and frills for this 1972 later day Hammer romp co-starring Caroline Munro (The Spy Who Loved Me). Though perhaps tame compared to its vampire film compatriots, writer and director Brian Clemens (The Avengers) provides a nonetheless edgy mythos with anti-vamp forged swords, hints of blood, bats, creepy mirrors, a whiff of nudity, kinky innuendo, hypnosis, swordfights, horses, and dark, hooded figures running amok in the idyllic countryside. Sweeping music or silent approaches accent the religious and righteous suggestions, and the vampire mystery and family intrigue remain unique thanks to a Scarlet Pimpernel–esque twist and a fun, hunchbacked John Cater (The Duchess of Duke Street) sidekick. Some modern viewers may find the vampire revelation obvious or the opening to slow to get rolling. However, the moody moments and supernatural atmosphere make for a few intense scenes, and some running dry wit adds brevity along with a surprise or two. Astute Hammer fans may also notice a Karstein connection, and I wish a Kronos series would have continued as planned. Why wasn’t this the successful outing needed to save Hammer Films? A bigger name star may be lacking, perhaps someone like Michael York would have brought a cashing in wink or zing. However, Kronos is meant to be a somewhat unlikable anti-hero, and his tormented hunting style feels like a precursor to some of the darker vampire fighters to come. Ironically, studios today would milk a property like this dry. C’est la vie. 

Dracula – Many others have already written about this 1931 classic – myself included briefly here. However, I simply must take a moment to talk about the superior blu-ray restoration of Tod Browning’s widow’s peak trendsetter now preserved in the Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection. What’s this, no jumping print, damaged frames, hissing noise, or flat, barely visible dark scenery the likes of a worn VHS? The black and white photography is crisp, the sound smooth – even soft focus up close shots and foggy, hazy forests look of depth. Background matte paintings blend seamlessly along with decrepit castle cobwebs, coffin-laden basements, and silver screen candlelight. All the smoke and mirrors classic effects have been dusted off and shined anew here, and Bela’s hypnotic eyes have never looked so good along side the polished Demeter footage, and well dressed stage interiors. Yes, the bobs and women’s frocks are more twenties that Victorian, but the atmosphere is nonetheless period gothic effective. Zooms, decadence, and the decrepit are still captivating thanks to this revitalized distinction and dimension. In addition to commentaries, alternate scores, trivia, and more than an hour of behind the scenes featurettes, once again, blu-ray makes the vintage vogue, and longtime fans should upgrade ASAP. 

 

Dracula (Spanish Version) – Luckily, one of the features accompanying the Bela Lugosi essential on blu-ray is this once lost and found 1931 Spanish edition. The introduction from star Lupita Tavar sheds light on this brief, early talkie trend of producing foreign language movies during the off hours of the English filmmaking using the same script, sets, and designs. The result certainly looks crisp in high definition yet it’s quite bizarre to watch two such similar films – those lookalike opening carriage scenes and some word for word exchanges accentuate the eerie mood and gothic feeling. Extra smoke, cobwebs, spooky sound effects, and music also add more flair than its sire, and though still stage like in its presentation, there’s more camera movement, risks with cinematic design, and smart shadow usage. Carlos Villar, however, takes getting used to as the titular conde thanks to his near comical London After Midnight expressions amid the otherwise serious cast. While not Lugosi, Villar benefits from the flashy filmmaking and stays creepy with more up close shots and spooky zooms. This Dracula is not suave but intentionally stilted like a corpse and more ogle predatory. Pablo Alvarez Rubio as Renfield, fortunately, is much more subdued in his maniacal, and the anachronistically divine silks, scandalous furs, and seductive frills keep the ladies saucy. Indeed, this edition feels more about the frightful ensemble and their explaining dialogue rather than the vamp himself. We look at this production in comparison to its English neighbor, but it truly comes together as an entirely separate film. Hopefully more Dracula and vampire fans will see and study this edition now – movie scholars can have a glorious time with scene by scene comparisons and analysis!

Innocent Blood – Netflix very long waited the full screen DVD of this 1992 mob meets vampires thriller – there are no subtitles, it wouldn’t play in our PS3, and the violent action sounds are ridiculously loud compared to soft-spoken dialogue. Not to mention most of the picture is too damn dark to see all the city smoke, candles, old time noir ambiance, and nudity. Suffice to say, this movie totally needs a proper video release! Thankfully, the cast – including Robert Loggia (Necessary Roughness), Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace), Angela Bassett (Strange Days), Chazz Palminteri (A Bronx Tale), Luiz Guzman (Boogie Nights), and Don Rickles (Casino) – is having a good time with director John Landis (An American Werewolf in London) and this tongue in cheek atmosphere accented by swanky Sinatra tunes. Anne Parillaud’s (Nikita) French accent will be tough for some but her unconventional sensuality does wonders. Her opening narration isn’t really necessary, but she’s a vamp in both senses of the word, subtle and unassuming yet deadly and over the top. Sassy Italian elements also provide a mid century gangster feeling – there are classic horror movies on the boob tube TVs, too – and Loggia is totally having a good time with this eccentric mash up. Word to the skinny dames out there, “A little meat on the bones never goes out of style!” Snappy dialogue, colorful metaphors, and badass quips contrast the red eyes, bloody feedings, and one gory but hysterical morgue. The intersecting crime, cops, and chicks add complexity amid the comedic moments and humorous circumstances, and I don’t know why audiences don’t like the camp horror blend of this picture more, as it’s done much better than today’s attempts. Some horror fans may not like the intrusion of crime plots and action fans may not like the vampire contrivances, but this deserves a look for its uniqueness and winking good time.