Who Is Afraid Of...Miss Lovett? No, Who Is Afraid Of Mrs.Lovett...

Counting Down To Halloween...31 Days in October...Day 5...I'm Taking The Time To Wish Actor Bela Lugosi a very Happy [Belated] Birthday...He Was Born

2011-10-22T03:13:00.001-07:00

On October 20, 1882...
Happy [Belated] Birthday! To actor Bela Lugosi too...His Birthday was yesterday. 10/20/1882...Here goes a nice blogsite Bela Lugosi Is Still Dead Over There at Psycho Babble... discussing Lugosi and here goes an interview with Lugosi and the ending is...too funny!

Coming Up: 31 Days Of Halloween Countdown: As I Take An UpClose and Personal Look at Horror Films Memorabilia...Such as: Posters, Lobby Cards & More.

2011-10-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

As The 31 Days Of Halloween Countdown Begin I also plan to link back to horror websites that I visit daily too! [Or rather alternate day...]

Well, as promised here goes Chasing not a Mummy's head, but the links...Therefore, without further adieu...
#1.
Cyberschizold Is...
Having a great Horror Give-away...A lot Of Great Stuff!
Please Be Sure To Stop By and Sign The Petition Too!
Cyberschizold's Give-away

#2.Autumn Dusk Is...
Mmmmmmm...Looky What Mrs. Rogue Evolent Found While Shopping with "The Rogue."
Over There at Autumn Dusk...

#3. Vincent Place Is...
I just checked-out Vincent's art "Wild Hand" and all I can say is...Omg! Now, he Is Taking a Look at Sharpie Drawings...Check-It Out!Vincent's Drawing "Wild Hand..."
Adult Content Over There a Vincent's Place...Therefore, proceed with caution...

#4.Dr. Blood Video Vault Is..
Dr.Blood Over There at Video Vault Discuss The Series American Horror Story

#5. Exodus 8 Is
Fellow Blogger Jaime Grijalba isn't part Of the Halloween Countdown, but he is taking a look at 31 Films in the Month Of October too here at his blogspot...Exodus8

[He Kicked Things Off By Looking at a film entitled "The Phantom Carriage..." Today Jaime Takes at look at another horror film that feature Frankenstein's monster called Frankenstein Ghost and Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman
He live in Chile...Therefore, you have to use his translator in order to read his post [If you don't know how to speak spanish...
Thanks,]

#7.
Caffeinated Joe Is...
Caffeinated Joe Takes a look at a Halloween Round-up

#9.Melissa Veleriote Is...
One Of my favorite haunts to visit: Please Take Time To Check-Out...
Halloween Folk Art By Melissa Veleriote's Fantastical World Of Holiday

#10. For What's Worth...Is
Halloween Character interview and Giveaway ...

Non-Halloween Haunts That I Checked Out...This Week Too: Coming Up

Taking a look at the 1939 Horror Classic Film "Son Of Frankenstein" Starring B.Karloff,B.Lugosi, and Basil Rathbone as the son Of...Memorabilia...

2011-10-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

[editor's note: A Change in the program...From Now On I Will Be Looking at Memorabilia Every Other Day...and then shift gears and post links to Horror and [some non-horror] websites that I visit every other day. Therefore, Today is memorabilia day, tomorrow is link day, and then Thursday is...Well, you get the picture...Thanks,]

Follow The Link Below To Memorabilia Over There On My Film Noir Ning...Below Is The Trailer For The 1939 Film "Son Of Frankenstein..."
Taking a look at "The Son Of Frankenstein"
If you would like to read a review Of the film just follow this link to my friend Jaime Grijabal's very interesting website Exodus 8...
Fellow Blogger Jaime Grijalba isn't part Of the Halloween Countdown, but he is taking a look at 31 Films in the Month Of October too here at his blogspot...Exodus8

[He Kicked Things Off By Looking at a film entitled "The Phantom Carriage," "Hunchback Of Notre Dame," and Now,"Son Of Frankenstein" ...
He live in Chile...Therefore, you have to use his translator in order to read his post [If you don't know how to speak spanish...Thanks,]

Taking a look at the 1971 Horror Classic Film "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" Starring Vincent Price, Joseph Cotton, and presenting Virginia North...

2011-10-02T02:56:00.000-07:00

The synopsis Is Courtesy Of All Movies

Long thought dead, the victim of a horrible accident, Dr. Anton Phibes (Vincent Price) still lives, surrounded by art-deco bric-a-brac and attended by mute beauty Vulnavia (Virginia North). Outwardly normal in appearance, Phibes actually wears a rubber mask, covering his hideously deformed countenance; giving away the artifice is the fact that, when he dines, he takes his food through his neck rather than his mouth. Able to speak only when plugging a wire into his damaged vocal chords, Phibes elucidates his plan to murder the medical team whom he holds responsible for the death of his wife. Each of the killings is patterned after the ten deadly plagues. Phibes saves his worst for last: trapping chief surgeon Dr. Vesalius in his lair, Phibes forces the hapless medico into a race against time to save the life of his own son.

[editor's note:
According to the Quad-Sheet "The authorities will not permit this face to be shown on advertisement..." If you follow This Link You can view this half-sheet and more over here on my Film Noir Ning..."The Abominable Dr. Phibes" ]

[you can watch the 1971 film "The Abominable Dr. Phibes" in it's entirety here...By The Way, all links are below...]

Special Guest Writer Dylan Duarte, Takes a look at H.P. Lovecraft's Films...When he's not reviewing movies, he also writes about Halloween costumes...

2011-08-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

H.P. Lovecraft was truly ahead of his time when it came to creating twisted, deep horror that reached into the darkest parts of our minds and pulled forth things we could barely comprehend. And that which we don't understand, we fear. Lovecraft played up on fear of the unknown that nobody ever had and his works are influencing the genre more than ever right now. August 20th, 2011 marked the 121st anniversary of Lovecraft's birth.
Editor's Note: In Order To Learn More About H.P. Lovecraft: Just Follow These Link...To
H.P.Lovecraft Archives
H.P. Lovecraft's Life Photo Gallery

Here are five films that do his memory justice.

Re-Animator

Re-Animator is something of a cult horror flick and it's based on the Lovecraft story Herbert West-Reanimator. The film stars Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, a med school student who takes a serious interest in re-animating dead tissue. Funny and gory, Re-Animator still holds a 92% at Rotten Tomatoes and is considered the best adaptation of Lovecraft's work.

In the Mouth of Madness

While not a direct adaptation of anything Lovecraft did, this John Carpenter horror pays tribute to the famous author, with countless references to his works and an overall similar theme to everything Lovecraft wrote, with insanity playing a big part of the narrative. Even the title of the film is a reference, a mish mash of Lovecraft titles The Shadow Over Innsmouth and At the Mountains of Madness.

From Beyond

Another adaptation of a Lovecraft story, again from director Stuart Gordon, who also helmed Re-Animator (and will show up once more on this list). The film also features Jeffrey Combs from Re-Animator, as well as Ken Foree from George Romero's Dawn of the Dead. The film revolves around a pair of scientists attempting to stimulate the pineal gland in the brain with a device called The Resonator. The scientists soon find themselves in another dimension and when they return, they return as shape changing monsters who prey on their co-workers.

The Call of Cthulhu

The only film adaptation of what is possibly the most iconic Lovecraft story, The Call of Cthulhu is a 2005 silent film made with Mythoscope, a blend of vintage and modern film techniques designed to give the film an older look. The film only runs 47 minutes but was met with praise and accepted into numerous film festivals. Paul di Filippo of Science Fiction Weekly called it the best Lovecraft adaptation to date and said the decision to make it a silent film was "a brilliant conceit."

Dagon

Stuart Gordon is back with another Lovecraft adaptation. Confusingly enough, Dagon is actually based on the short story The Shadow Over Innsmou and not the Lovecraft short story Dagon! Where the logic is in that, I don't know, but what I do know is that while Dagon was not as well-received as the other films on this list, it is considered to be part of that exclusive certain of quality Lovecraft adaptations. And I'm sure credit is due in no small part to the work of Stuart Gordon.

My Guest author is Dylan Duarte...He is a movie buff and professional writer. When he's not reviewing movies, he also writes about Halloween costumes. He can be reached at dylnduarte@gmail.com

In My Mailbox Or Rather What Is On My Netflix Queue and Quite a few blogs that I visited in my Journey...From Horror To Poetic...Informative and...

2011-07-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

...Taking my Que From Fellow Book Bloggers [and fellow comrade Sam Juliano]

By the way, Sam is about to start a musical countdown over there on his blog too!]...Instead Of, in What Is In My Mailbox Sundays in which I'm suppose to look at books in my mailbox... I decided to visit and tell my readers what top 10 horror blogs [and Non Horror Blogs] that I visited this week...and What Films and Books That I Checked-Out Too!
Therefore, without further adieu...Here goes the top ten horror blogs [and non-horror blogs] that I checked-out this week and why?

Horror:
I kick Things Off by visiting the...
HBA This Is A Good Place To Visit If You Want To Read and Discover All Things Horror Related...With a membership that is growing daily too!
deedee ;-)

[postscript: The posters are copyrighted by and courtesy Of and are being used without his permission...Therefore, Mr. if you would like for me to remove your images please contact me here at...darkcitydame4e@gmail.com
For additional Information about the artist and the posters just follow the link...here
Thanks,]

From Book To Film: The Book: Taking a look at Charlotte Brontë's Dark and Shadowy "Jane Eyre"...The Classic Film: Starring J.Fontaine and O.Welles...

2011-05-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

Tagline: A Love Story Every Woman would Die a Thousand Deaths to Live!

The film begins with a voice over from Jane Eyre (an original contribution by the screenwriters):

My name is Jane Eyre... I was born in 1820, a harsh time of change in England. Money and position seemed all that mattered. Charity was a cold and disagreeable word. Religion too often wore a mask of bigotry and cruelty. There was no place for the poor or the unfortunate. I had no father or mother, brother or sister. As a child I lived with my aunt, Mrs. Reed of Gateshead Hall. I do not remember that she ever spoke one kind word to me.

Cast

Joan Fontaine - Jane Eyre
Orson Welles - Edward Rochester
Peggy Ann Garner - Jane Eyre as a child
Elizabeth Taylor - Helen Burns (uncredited)
Edith Barrett - Mrs. Alice Fairfax
Agnes Moorehead - Mrs. Reed
Margaret O'Brien - Adele
Sara Allgood - Bessie
Henry Daniell - Henry Brocklehurst
Hillary Brooke - Blanche Ingram

Jane Eyre (1944) is a classic film adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name, made by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by William Goetz, Kenneth Macgowan, and Orson Welles (uncredited).

The screenplay was by John Houseman, Aldous Huxley, Henry Koster, and Robert Stevenson, from the novel by Charlotte Brontë. The music score was by Bernard Herrmann and the cinematography by George Barnes.

The film stars Orson Welles, Joan Fontaine, Margaret O'Brien, Peggy Ann Garner, Sara Allgood, Henry Daniell, Agnes Moorehead, John Sutton, with Betta St. John and Elizabeth Taylor making early, uncredited appearances.

The film was acclaimed for its recreation of the Yorkshire Moors. It was actually filmed entirely in Hollywood on a heavily disguised sound stage. The long shadows and heavy fog, which added the air of a Gothic novel lacking in so many remakes, were rumored to have been the brainchild of Orson Welles. He was offered a producer's credit as thanks for his contribution but declined the offer, believing that a person who is not a director shouldn't be "just" a producer.

This was the 7th film version of the novel...All Of This Information is Courtesy Of Wikipedia...

In addition to numerous stage presentations, Brontë's novel has been adapted for the screen several times, one of the earliest of which was produced by Thanhouser Film Corp. in 1910 in a one-reel version starring Marie Eline and Gloria Gallop. Lisbeth Blackstone and Dallas Tyler starred in the 1914 Whitman Features Co. version, and in 1918, Edward Jose directed Alice Brady and Elliott Dexter in Woman and Wife for Select Pictures. In 1921, Hugo Ballin Productions released their version of Jane Eyre, which was directed by Ballin and starred Norman Trevor and Mabel Ballin. The 1934 Monogram production was directed by Christy Cabanne and starred Virginia Bruce and Colin Clive. Ethel Griffies played "Grace Poole" in both the Monogram and Twentieth Century-Fox productions. Other versions of the story include a 1970 British production starring Susannah York and George C. Scott, and directed by Delbert Mann; a 1996 European production directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starring William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg; and a 1997 British television co-producion, starring Samantha Morton and Ciaran Hin

It Seems as if two Of the Lobby cards for "Jane Eyre" are missing...From Eight the Title card and Lobby card No.#2 are missing in the set...
Availability: Is This Film available on DVD? ...The answer is Yes...Follow The Link To DVDBeaver For additional information.
JANE EYRE

To View The Film "Jane Eyre" in it's Entirety...Just Visit You-tube
The 1944 Film "Jane Eyre" Starring actor Orson Welles and actress Joan Fontaine...

Here Wishing EveryOne A Warm, Safe, and Pleasant Mother's Day...To All Great-Great, Great, and Grandmothers, Mothers, Aunts, Sisters, Cousins and ...

2011-05-07T23:55:00.000-07:00

Female Friends, Step-Mothers, Foster Care Mothers, and To All Mothers' Around The Globe That Celebrate Mother's Day Today.
Here Goes A Link To...How Mother Day Is Celebrated Around The World
and The Video is from the 1948 Film..."I Remember Mama..." Starring Irene Dunne and Barbara Bel Geddes.

Happy Easter...This April 24, 2011 Just For You...Wishing You A Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T02:32:00.000-07:00

Coming-Up 04/16/11...An Interview With Writer/Poet Tess Kincaid, As We Discuss Her First Book Of Poetry...I Also Plan To Give Away a Copy Of "Patina"

2011-04-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

Hello! Sam Juliano, Allan Fish, and Wonders in the Dark readers...
I Plan To Invite (an Interview) A Fellow Blogger, Name Tess Kincaid, ("Willow") From Over There at the Wonderful and Popular "Willow's Manor" blogspot... Who Has Just Written Her First Book Of Poetry Entitled "Patina" To "Wonders in the Dark" This Saturday.

I Also Plan To Give-Away A Copy Of Tess Kincaid's Book Of Poetry Entitled "Patina" and Thanks, To My Friend and Fellow Blogger Paul D.Brazill, I Also Plan To Give-away a Copy Of a Magazine Entitled: "The LineUp:Poems On Crime"...

...This Magazine Features some Of the best mystery writers, in the blogosphere and they have come together to put their "hard-boiled" writing style to prose. The Likes Of:

Poems by Ken Bruen, Michael Casey, Reed Farrel Coleman, David Corbett, Mary Agnes Dalrymple, Mary Christine Delea, Jeanne Dickey, H. Palmer Hall, Paul Hostovsky, David Jordan, Laura LeHew, Thomas Michael McDade, Peter Meinke, Keith Rawson, Chad Rohrbacher, Stephen Jay Schwartz, Nancy Scott, Kieran Shea, J.D. Smith, J.J. Steinfeld, John Stickney, Caitlin Elizabeth Thomson, Randall Watson, Charles Harper Webb, Steve Weddle, Germaine Welch

The Lineup #4 (2011) | To Learn More Just Follow This Link To...What's the buzz?

Edited by Gerald So with Reed Farrel Coleman, Sarah Cortez, and R. Narvaez...

So, Want you, join me Saturday (April 16th 2011) as I discuss with Tess Kincaid, her new book Of Poetry entitled "Patina" and Give away a copy Of her new book Of Poetry in a book contest along with the magazine Entitled: "The LineUp:Poems On Crime."

What Poem Is In My Pocket?

Today actor Val Kilmer's cousin poem is in my pocket...Joyce Kilmer's "Trees" along with poems that I have placed in my pockets from Willow, Brian, Claudia and Tony...I enjoy reading Willow's beautiful poetry, I also like Tony D'Ambra's beautiful poetry, my friends Brian Miller, and Claudia Schoenfeld's beautiful Poetry too! (Believe me there are so many more poets that I enjoy reading too!)

Dylan Thomas ( I just discovered his poems...) Robert Frost, and Walt Whitman...Check-Out This Link For Additional Information...Poets...

By the way, What poem is in your pocket?

Thanks, DeeDee ;)

In The Month Of April...An Interview With Author Heath Lowrance, Over There at "Wonders in the Dark" and a Book Contest Give-away Coming-Up...

2011-04-05T03:57:00.000-07:00

...This month.
Today I plan to invite an author who so happen to write about dark, noirish, subjects (It just so happens to tie-in with the “noirish” theme started by Marilyn, The Self-Styled Siren, Greg Ferrara, and author Eddie Muller…Continuing with Maurizio Roca, Film noir countdown over there at Wonders in the Dark.) "Wonders In The Dark."…I would go so far as to call his (author Heath Lowrance) subject matters…"Psycho-Noir."

Here Goes The Editorial Reviews Over There On Amazon…
“In the storied waking-up-into-a-nightmare pulp tradition, Heath Lowrance’s The Bastard Hand reads is a lurid thrill. You will finish it in one frenzied sitting, then feel as if you’re awakening from a red-misted trance.” –Megan Abbott, author of Bury Me Deep

“A bastard of a good book. If you like Flannery O’Connor and Jim Thompson, you’re going to love this.” –Allan Guthrie, author of Slammer

“Mean, tough, lurid, intense, and entirely engaging, this novel is a must read for all fans of the hard-boiled genre.” –Vincent Zandri, author of Moonlight Falls

“The Bastard Hand by Heath Lowrance grabs you by the lapels and drags you on a wild, wild bar crawl that leaves you battered and bruised at the gates of hell. Like Jim Thompson jamming with Robert Johnson and Nick Cave on the eve of the apocalypse.” –Paul D. Brazil, Pulp Metal Magazine he Product Description…

Charlie Wesley is not right in the head. He’s escaped from a mental hospital up north and hitchhiked his way south, the voice of his dead brother urging him on. But when Charlie hits Memphis, the fine line between his delusions and reality shift in the form of the Reverend Phineas Childe-a preacher bent on booze and women; a Man of God with a dark agenda. Charlie is the perfect pawn in the Reverend’s game of retribution. And the small North Mississippi town of Cuba Landing will be the setting for the Reverend’s very personal Apocalypse. . . .

…So want you please join me [April 05, 2011] today…as I discuss with author Heath Lowrance, his new book…“Bastard Hand” over there at... "Wonders In The Dark."
…According To author Heath Lowrance...

" Here's the trailer for "The Bastard Hand" finished today. Ron Warren put it together, and Nat Pike (one of the most versatile musicians on Earth) did the original music."

[Postscript: Of course I will be giving-away copies Of author Heath Lowrance's books in a contest...and if you aren't a fortunate "winner" you, can alway "tap" the banner and pick-up a copy over there at Amazon.com...Therefore, like I said, Please stay tuned!
Thank-you, DeeDee]

Image 7: I Plan To Take a look at the film "The Old Dark House" ...My 31 Days To Halloween Contest Ends Today, but my Halloween Countdown Continues..

2010-11-30T12:00:00.001-08:00

With Me Focusing On Scary Book Titles, Scary Images...anf Karloff's film "The Old Dark House.
A Clip From The Film "The Old Dark House"

Now Let's Us See Where We Stand...After The 31 Days Of Halloween Countdown Has Ended On My Fellow Horror Bloggers' Blogs...My Countdown Is Just...

2010-11-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

Is Just Like Boris Karloff's Mummy Kharis, about to call it a wrap!

Over the next couple of days I plan to take a look at the last 14 Universal Horror films (So far, I covered 17 Halloween Items From October 01 to the 17th) starting with The Wolfman, Frankenstein, The Phantom Of the Opera, The Raven, The Old Dark House and Dracula...That is if time and my schedule permits...

I also plan to post the Contest Question...Shortly, and like Boris' Mummy call it a...Wrap! Ouch!

I hope that you had a safe and pleasant Halloween too!

As Fletch's 30 Days Of Crazy Continues...I Plan To Take a look at Hitchcock's "Psycho" and The Shower Sequence...Was It A "Psychological" Mind Game?

2010-09-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

"Taking A Shower Will Never Be The Same Again" ....
[Editor's Note: Writer Andrew Katsis, Wrote This Review On Friday, May 16, 2008 WARNING: According to writer Andrew Katsis...Plot and/or ending details may follow!!!!

In order to read writer Andrew Katsis' review of "Psycho"....Just click on the following link... Shooting Lessons 1000 Repeat Viewing: Psycho (1960, Alfred Hitchcock) TSPDT placing: #30]

[Editor's Note: About The Poster...It's Polish/Czech

Czech Hitchcock - The Birds + Psycho Poster Combination...

Czech poster for a double bill of the Alfred Hitchcock films "The Birds" and "Psycho".
www.hitchcockwiki.com/blog/?p=496

"There's something wonderfully surreal and slightly unsettling about many of the Czech and Polish Hitchcock film posters."

According To Director Alfred Hitchcock...

"Naturally, the knife never touched the body; it was all done in the montage."

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Written by: Robert Bloch (novel), Joseph Stefano (screenplay)

Starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, and John McIntire.

June, 1960. The movie theatre is quiet; 45 minutes ago, the halls were buzzing with movement and anticipation, but not anymore. Nobody has been allowed into the cinema since the picture began, and the audience is dead quiet. Through the walls of the theatre, one can hear the muffled whirr of running water.

Silence. A indistinct shadow is seen approaching through the curtain. Accompanied by the fierce screech of violins, hundreds of voices suddenly utter a deafening chorus of horrified shock and surprise; some patrons collapse into the aisle. Bernard Hermann continues to pound the violin with extraordinary intensity, and a bloody streak carves its path towards the drainpipe. Audience members reel with a frantic mixture of stunned confusion and gripping fear. The Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, has just painted the most extraordinary masterstroke of his distinguished career. The simple act of taking a shower will never again be the same.

Though he produced many films that could justifiably be considered masterpieces, it is unlikely that Hitchcock ever directed anything more popular and influential than Psycho (1960). The first of only two Hitchcock horror films, it shocked many with its unique narrative structure, and the infamous "shower scene" has become permanently imprinted in the movie-going public's collective memory. Hitchcock allegedly produced the film in order to reclaim his designation as

"The Master of Suspense," as he considered Frenchman Henri-Georges Clouzot to have temporarily seized the title with The Wages of Fear (1953) and especially Les Diaboliques (1955).
Frenchman Henri-Georges Clouzot's Diaboliques

Interestingly, the latter film has a particularly alarming bathtub sequence, and perhaps Psycho was the film through which Hitchcock was able to respond to (and improve upon) the achievements of his chief rival. Gone are the larger-than-life artistic flourishes of Vertigo (1958) and North by Northwest (1959) – this is the Master of Suspense at his leanest and meanest, a film completely stripped of its spectacle and lowered into the unfathomable depths of the disturbed human mind.

Adapted by Joseph Stefano from Robert Bloch's 1959 novel, Psycho opens with the character of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a real-estate secretary who impulsively steals $40,000 from her boss and flees in the direction of her California boyfriend.

Her cross-country flight ultimately leads her to the Bates Motel, managed by the awkward and mild-mannered Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a man who submits loyally to the wishes of his mentally-ill, domineering mother. Meanwhile, Marion's boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin) and sister Lila (Vera Miles) set out in pursuit, their search ending – inevitably – at the Bates motel.

The story sporadically shifts from one character to the other; after convincing audiences that Marion Crane is "the wrong man" of so many of his previous pictures, Hitchcock deftly strikes at the heart of their sympathies.

In his early film Sabotage (1936), the director had condemned his own decision to murder a character with whom the viewer had been asked to identify, though here he once again dared to break his own rules, and we've never forgotten it.

Paramount was so aghast at the story's graphic subject matter, labelling it "too repulsive," that Hitchcock's budget was severely restricted, and the director was forced to finance the film through his own Shamley Productions. These budget limitations proved crucial in developing the unforgettable atmosphere, and were a major factor in his decision to film is black-and-white (which he also did to avoid incurring the wrath of the censors).

Though Psycho received a mixed critical response upon its release, its commercial success was extraordinary, and film-goers lined entire city blocks to experience the director's latest. Conversely, fellow British director Michael Powell's thematically-similar Peeping Tom (1960) had been severely trashed by critics and audiences alike just months earlier, and the career of the beloved filmmaker was, for all practical purposes, left in ruins.

Furthermore, the success of Psycho triggered the emergence of the "slasher" flick, and subsequent years saw a slew of inferior, gory and imaginatively-titled knock-offs, such as Maniac (1963), Paranoia (1963) and Fanatic (1965).

Though discussions of Psycho rarely stray from the film's more disturbing moments, it's interesting to consider the various crucial scenes of human interaction. Marion's supper with Norman in the parlour room, surrounded by the seemingly-passive but strangely-threatening stuffed birds, is a masterpiece of nervous tension, awkwardness, and the tiny inflections of human speech that communicate more than mere words ever could.

Anthony Perkins plays the role of Norman Bates to quirky perfection, and his character {perhaps modelled from Dennis Weaver's jittery hotel night manager in Touch of Evil (1958) – also starring Janet Leigh} is a man who initially demands our pity and understanding. Even after the atrocity in the shower, Hitchcock, as he also did in Frenzy (1972), builds a suspense sequence around a villain's attempts to conceal the traces of his crime.

Martin Balsam is rarely mentioned when discussing the film, but his characterisation of detective Milton Arbogast is letter-perfect, his shrewd but amenable tone successfully lulling Norman into a false sense of triumph, and yet the audience knows full well that the experienced investigator sees the transparency of his lies.
Despite the prevalence of cultural spoofs and references, Psycho is a thriller that still holds up exceptionally well, even though most viewers are fully-aware of the first major twist. When I first watched the film several years ago, I was completely ignorant of Mother's true identity, and I gasped aloud at the revelation in the fruit cellar, the swinging lightbulb casting a shifting luminance on the rotting corpse of Norma Bates, as Bernard Herrmann's intense, imaginative and very memorable musical score screeches in the background.

Few moments in cinema have succeeded in giving me the same icy chill as the image of Norman in the prison cell, consumed by the mental consciousness of his overbearing mother, and that sinister smile that fades subliminally into the decaying shadow of a human skull. Norman Bates will continue to live on in my nightmares.

[Editor's Note:If You Would Like To Find Out Additional Information About Director Alfred Hitchcock's "Shower Sequence" With The Story Board By Saul Bass...Then Just Visit The Following Links...]

(Hitchcock talking to Truffaut about the shower scene in Psycho)

Naturally, the knife never touched the body; it was all done in the montage."

According to Dave (The Creator Of Hitchcock's Website Over There On Wikipedia..."I've spent a good hour or so this evening watching those 8 frames over and over again…

However, when analyzed frame by frame, one of the short segments does appear to show a knife piercing Marion's flesh. It is only 8 frames in length (or 1/3 of a second) and the final frame is this:

I've spent a good hour or so this evening watching those 8 frames over and over again…

I think the sequence was achieved quite simply — what we are seeing in the final film is reversed footage. What was actually shot begins with the knife held against the flesh, and then it is pulled away (up and out of frame).

Don't believe me? Then have a play with this web page , which lets you run the sequence both ways at two different speeds.

There are two things, which I think, give it away:

• as the knife is pulled away, it leaves behind a steam of small water droplets

• the motion of the shower spray seems more "natural" in the version where the knife is pulled away

In addition, on the final frame, I think we can see the impression on the skin of where the knife was resting.

Finally, the movement of the midriff again seems more natural when the frames are shown in reverse. As the knife is pulled back, Marion moves her body away.

At first glance, the knife does appear to have cut into the belly. However, I think the darkness we see on the left of the end of the blade is shadow (the light source is away to the left of the frame).

In this image, the edge of the blade is highlighted in green, and it's shadow outlined in blue. What we're seeing is the tip of the blade against the skin.

The 7 previous frames show the knife swooping downwards quickly into the frame. How could they ensure the person holding the knife stopped in time to avoid stabbing Marion (it's not certain if we're seeing Janet Leigh's midriff or her body double, Marli Renfro)?"

Follow The Link To Find Out Why Hitchcock's "Psycho" Gave Birth To "Slasher" Films.

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/opinions/going-in-for-the-kill-influence-and-originality-in-three-horror-classics.php

http://www.combustiblecelluloid.com/classic/psycho.shtml

Writer Andrew Katsis' Current #1 film of 1960:

1) Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock)

2) The Apartment (Billy Wilder)
3) Peeping Tom (Michael Powell)
4) Inherit the Wind (Stanley Kramer)
5) The Time Machine (George Pal)

Currently my #1 film from director Alfred Hitchcock:
1) Psycho (1960)
2) Strangers On A Train (1951)
3) Vertigo (1958)
4) Rear Window (1954)
5) Rope (1948)
6) Rebecca (1940)
7) North by Northwest (1959)
8) I Confess (1953)
9) The Lady Vanishes (1938)
10) Spellbound (1945)

Posted by ackatsis at 8:12 PM

Labels: 10/10, 1960, 1960s, Alfred Hitchcock, Anthony Perkins, horror, Janet Leigh, Repeat Viewing, thriller, Top 100, Vera Miles

[Question: Is Director Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho Available On DVD yet?]

Yes, Director Alfred Hitchcock 1960 film Psycho...Is Available on DVD in order to compare all four versions...just visit...dvdbeaver in order to compare the picture quality of....Universal (2-disc Legacy Series) - Region 1- NTSC vs. Universal Studios - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Universal Pictures (Benelux) (Psycho Collection) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Universal Tri-Star (Australia) - Region 2,4 - PAL Gary Tooze Compare Hitchcock's Psycho
The Trailer For The 1960 Film "Psycho"....

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown...Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

Day Fifteen? Of The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Bloggers From Over There at..."Cinema Obsessed."

Join in The Madness..Here when Cinema Obsessed, take a look at the film "Event Horizon."

Just Follow The Link To Read Cinema Obsessed's review Of...
Event Horizon

Here Goes The Trailer...

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown...Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Day Fourteen Of The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Blogger Castor, From Over There at..."Anomalousmaterial."

Join in The Madness..Here when Castor, take a look at the film "American Psycho"

Just Follow The Link To Read Castor's review Of...

American Psycho

Here Goes The Trailer...

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown...... Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Day Thirteen Of The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Blogger Jess, From Over There at..."In Sight Into Entertainment"

Join in The Madness..Here when Jess, take a look at the film ""

Just Follow The Link To Read Jess' review Of "Crazy People."

Here Goes The Trailer...

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown...... Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-13T00:17:00.000-07:00

Day Twelve The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Blogger Dave, From Over There at..."Dave Movie Review"

Join in The Madness..Here when Dave, take a look at the film "12 Monkeys"

Just Follow The Link To Read Dave's review Of "12 Monkey" ... 12 Monkeys

Here Goes The Trailer...

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown...Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

Day Eleven The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Blogger Kai, From Over There at..."The List: The Greatest Movie Blog Ever"

Join in The Madness..Here when Kai, take a look at the film "The Fight Club"

Just Follow The Link To Read Kai's review Of "The Fight Club" Kai's Blog "The List:The Greatest Movie Blog Ever"

Here Goes The Trailer...

Taking a Look at The Film Solaris...and Eight Videos From The First Eight Bloggers in the Countdown...From "One Flew Over The Cuckoo" To "Seven"...

2010-09-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

[Editor's Note: What was I thinking I didn't add Videos...with The First Seven Bloggers' links...Therefore Check Out My Vodpod below In Order To View The Trailers for all Seven Films. Thanks,]

Day Ten The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Blogger Fitz, From Over There at...Nevermind Popular Films...

Join in The Madness..Here when Fitz, take a look at the film "Solaris"

Just Follow The Link To Read Fitz From Over There at "Nevermind Popular Film's" review Of the film...Solaris.

Here Goes The Trailer...

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins...Today Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes

2010-09-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

Day Nine The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Blogger Simon From Over There at..."Four Of Them's"

Join in The Madness..Here when "Four Of Them's take a look at the film "Donnie Darko"
Just Following The Link To Read The review Of the film..."Donnie Darko..." Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Jena Malone, and Katherine Ross.
Donnie Darko

Here Goes The Video Trailer For The Film Donnie Darko...

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins... Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

Day Eight The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Blogger Jess From ..."Insight into Entertainment."

Join in The Madness..Here with Jess, as "Insight Into Entertainment" take a look at the film "Dream Team."

Just Following The Link To Read Jess review Of the film..."Dream Team"Starring actors Micheal Keaton, Peter Boyle, and Christopher Lloyd...
Insight Into Entertainment

I must admit that I had a difficult time finding Screen Shots For This 1989 film called "The Dream Team" Therefore, I had to also include a trailer...In Fairness To The Other Participants...I Plan To Post Your Video Of Trailers for Your Films Too!

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins...Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Day Se7en (No Pun Intended) The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Continues With Fellow Blogger Sebastian From ..."Detailed Criticism."

Join in The Madness..Here with Sebastian, as "Detailed Criticism" take a look at the film "Se7en" Just Following The Link To Read Sebastian review Of the film..."Se7en."

Starring actors Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kevin Spacey.

Sebastian From Over There at "Detailed Criticism" Takes a look at the film Se7en.

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins...Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Day Six and (Day Seven Coming Up With Detailed Criticism Taking A Look at the film Se7en... ) Continue With Fellow Bloggers From ...''The Thrilling Days Of Yesteryear" and "Detailed Criticism."

Join in The Madness..Here with as "Thrilling Days Of Yesteryear" take a look at Director
Sam Fuller, 1960 film "Shock Corridor..." Just Following The Link To Read The Review Of Sam Fuller's "Shock Corridor."
...Starring actor Peter Breck, Constance Towers, Bill Zuckert and Philip Ahn.

Director Sam Fuller's "Shock Corridor."

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins... Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-06T04:04:00.000-07:00

The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Day Five Continue With Fellow Bloggers From ..."The Lightning Bugs Lair"...

Join in The Madness..Here with "The Lightning Bugs Lair"as he take a look at Director

John Maybury, film "The Jacket"...

...Starring actor Adrien Brody and actress Keira Knightley over there at his den called the...
The Lightning Bugs Lair

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins... Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Day Four Continue With Fellow Bloggers From ..."Pussy Goes Grrr..."

Join in The Madness..Here with Andreas and Ashley, as they take a look at Director Adrian Lyne's Jacob's Ladder.

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins...Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-03T10:14:00.000-07:00

The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Day Three Continue With Fellow Bloggers From ..."The Simon and Jo Film Show..."

Join in The Madness..Here with The Simon and Jo Film Show [Screen Insights] as they take a look at Director Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket..."

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins...Today Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is...Nice... 30 Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes

2010-09-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Day Two Continue With Fellow Blogger "Olive"From "Movie News First" As She Takes a look at Terry Gilliam's "The Fisher King."

Join in The Madness..Here With

Olive From Over There at "Movie News First" As She Takes a Look at "The Fisher King."

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown Begins...Today Join in The "Madness" Just Because The Water Is Nice 30.. Reviews Of 30 Films With Crazy Themes...

2010-09-01T08:59:00.001-07:00

Kicking The 30 Days Of Madness Countdown Off Is Fellow Blogger "Mad Hatter" with a look at Milos Forman's 1975 Film "One Flew Over The Cuckoo."

Join in The Madness...

The Mad Hatter Review Of Milos Forman's One Flew Over The Cuckoo Nest.

Fletch's 30 Days Of CrAzY Countdown...Begins Tomorrow Over There at Blog Cabin and I Plan To Participate By Taken a Look at Director Alfred Hitchcock

2010-08-31T06:12:00.000-07:00

1960 Film "Psycho"...Starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, Martin Balsom and John Gavin...Oh! and Mother, but of course!

Where Did Norman Sleep? Here Goes Seventeen Frames From Director [Alfred] Hitchcock's 1960 Film...Of "Mother's" Bedroom.

The Trailer For The 1960 Film "Psycho"....

V For Vendetta...Starring Natalie Portman...

2010-08-11T15:25:00.001-07:00

V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian speculative fiction-thriller film directed by James McTeigue and produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, who also wrote the screenplay. The film is an adaptation of the graphic novel V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. Set in London in a near-future dystopian society, the film follows the mysterious V, a freedom fighter seeking to effect sociopolitical change while simultaneously pursuing his own violent personal vendetta. The film stars Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond, Hugo Weaving as V, Stephen Rea as Inspector Finch and John Hurt as Chancellor Sutler.
The film was originally scheduled for release by Warner Bros. Friday, November 4, 2005 (a day before the 400th Guy Fawkes Night), but was delayed; it opened on March 17, 2006. Reviews were positive and the worldwide box office was over $132 million, but Alan Moore, having been disappointed with the film adaptations of two of his other graphic novels, From Hell and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, refused to view the film and subsequently distanced himself from it. The filmmakers removed many of the anarchist themes and drug references present in the original story and also altered the political message to what they believed would be more relevant to a 2006 audience.

V for Vendetta by MushroomStew featuring Christian Louboutin shoes

Colour block knit dress
120 GBP - karenmillen.com
More dresses »

Yolanda 120 patent pump
$660 - shopsavannahs.com
More Christian Louboutin pumps »

V for Vendetta Belt with 6 Daggers - Costumes
$16 - buycostumes.com

PSD Detail Frame Official PSDs
officialpsds.com

newspaper from Vogue
zapodaj.net

v for vendetta
openvein.com

Movie Review: V for Vendetta The Foo Logs
thefoologs.com

V for Vendetta Poster - Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery
impawards.com

V For Vendetta, V For Vendetta Reviews, V For Vendetta DVD, V For...
flickdirect.com

"V for Vendetta" : Paragini Amin
paragini.com

v for vendetta natalie portman
reverseshot.com

PSD Detail V for Vendetta Mask Official PSDs
officialpsds.com

newspaper article - westford academy
addletters.com

V For Vendetta, V For Vendetta Reviews, V For Vendetta DVD, V For...
flickdirect.com

splat
imghouse.net

Writer Andrew Katsis From Over There at "Shooting Lesson:1000" Takes a look at Henri-Georges Clouzet's 1955 Film Les Diaboliques...In Order To Read...

2010-07-27T02:36:00.000-07:00

Andrew Katsis' Review of Les Diaboliques...Just Visit...

Shooting Lessons: 1000 Pictures
This Review Was Written On Sunday, March 9, 2008

Target #199: Les Diaboliques (1955, Henri-Georges Clouzot)
TSPDT placing: #485

Directed by: Henri-Georges Clouzot Written by: Pierre Boileau (novel), Thomas Narcejac (novel), Jérôme Géronimi, Henri-Georges Clouzot, Frédéric Grendel, René Masson Starring: Véra Clouzot, Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse, Charles Vanel, Jean Brochard, Pierre Larquey, Michel Serrault

WARNING! Spoiler Alert: Plot and/or ending details may follow!!!

For a brief period during the 1950s, French director Henri-Georges Clouzot temporarily swiped the title of "The Master of Suspense" from Alfred Hitchcock, owing to a string of well-received suspense thrillers, most notably The Wages of Fear (1953) and Les Diaboliques (1955).

The latter was an adaptation of the novel "Celle qui n'était plus (She Who Was No More)" by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac; it was released in the UK as The Devils, and in the United States as Diabolique.

Upon its initial release, the film was extensively likened to the work of Hitchcock {who, popular legend tells us, missed out on purchasing the novel rights by a mere few hours}, with its slow-burning, deliberately-paced suspense, and a shocking twist that I never for a moment saw coming. Though, with the notable exception of two scenes – both involving a murder, with only one of them being real – the film isn't particularly scary, the tension, the paranoia and the blackened shadows often become overwhelming, and Clouzot deftly toes the line between supernatural evil, and the evil that lurks within all of us.
Christina Delassalle (Véra Clouzot) and Nicole Horner (Simone Signoret), both teachers at a boarding school for young boys, have a rather peculiar friendship. Christina is married to Michel (Paul Meurisse), a violent and tyrannical husband who derives pleasure from humiliating his pretty but physically-delicate wife.
Nicole, conversely, is Michel's mistress, a proud and independent woman who knows how to take control of a situation. At one point in the film, upon witnessing the two woman quietly conversing, a fellow professor makes a fascinated remark: "I may be reactionary, but this is absolutely astounding - the legal wife consoling the mistress! No, no, and no!"

The mere fact that Christina and Nicole have become close should already hint at a sinister situation underlying the surface, and, indeed, it is soon revealed that the two women plan to murder Michel and ridding themselves of his oppression. The "murder" itself – a sedative in the alcohol, and drowning their unconscious victim in the bathtub, is exceedingly disturbing, as we guiltily and uneasily ask ourselves if we'd have the courage to carry through such a scheme.

Alfred Hitchcock often delighted in creating suspense through the audience's subversive empathy for a film's villain, as a murderer attempts frantically to remove all traces of their crime. Clouzot uses a similar technique in his film, though, given the loathsome nature of the murder victim, our sympathy for the two women is almost demanded of us.

However, the disappearance of Michel's body from the school swimming pool is completely unexpected, and either hints at a supernatural overtone, or that somebody else is quite obviously aware of their terrible crime. The paranoia from here rarely lets up, and we continually bombard ourselves with an endless stream of questions, unable to provide an answer for any of them. On a weaker note, despite the ever-present air of tension, few scenes actually succeeded in getting my heart pumping at a mile-a-minute, which was a slightly disappointing response that I can't quite explain. Perhaps a few sequences need to have been shortened slightly, just to swipe off ten unnecessary minutes, and allowing for a brisker pace that never gives you a chance to exhale.

Is the film Les Diaboliques available on DVD?

The answer is yes...Just follow the two links below...
Check Out Celtoslavica
Check Out Gary Tooze's Place Over There at DVDBeaver

Another Spoiler Alert!...Please Don't Watch This Trailer...if you haven't watched the film Les Diaboliques...

Andrew Katsis Current Choices...8/10

Currently my #4 film of 1955:

1) Du rififi chez les hommes {Rififi} (Jules Dassin)

2) The Ladykillers (Alexander Mackendrick)

3) Nuit et brouillard {Night and Fog} (Alain Resnais)

4) Les Diaboliques (Henri-Georges Clouzot)

5) Rebel Without a Cause (Nicholas Ray)

Taking a Look at Stanley Donen's "Funny Face" Starring Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, Kay Thompson in the city of Paris, France with the assistance of

2010-07-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Balloon photoshoot in Paris - Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face by *dreamer* featuring Vivienne Westwood dresses

Black Monroe Belted Dress by Vivienne Westwood Anglomania
308 GBP - my-wardrobe.com
More Vivienne Westwood Anglomania dresses »

Vivienne Westwood - 180133 (Black) - Apparel
$527 - zappos.com
More Vivienne Westwood dresses »

Pigalle pointed leather flats
$575 - net-a-porter.com
More Christian Louboutin flats »

Fulton Huntsman 1 Umbrella, Black
17 GBP - johnlewis.com
More umbrellas »

ASOS ASOS Leather Bow Detail Gloves at ASOS
$26 - asos.com
More ASOS gloves »

Velvet Lampshade Hat with Fancy Accents
$100 - greatlookz.com

funny face
stanford.edu

Funny Face - Funny Face Image (4980855) - Fanpop
fanpop.com

Funny Face - Funny Face Image (4980839) - Fanpop
fanpop.com

Audrey Hepburn - Funny Face - Fanpop.com
fanpop.com

ballons Tumblr
tumblr.com

The Trailer For The Film "Funny Face" Starring Fred Astaire, Audrey Hepburn, Kay Thompson and "Paris, France..."

Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca...

2010-07-04T05:28:00.000-07:00

Hi! Horror Fan...

2010-06-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

I changed the horror website address back ...Because that is the blog that you were initially following and not my (Ratatouille) animation blog.(Personally, I thought that my horror blog was lost forever...Oh! well...we are back in business.)
I'am so sorry, but I must "straighten" the horror blog up and restore your links.
(Since "The Goggler" helped me to recover and restore my blog and of course the links went missing.)

I'am so sorry, for any and all inconvenience...
DeeDee ;-D

Taking A Look A Gothic Films That Are Considered Film Noir...With George Cukor's "Gaslight" Starring Charles Boyer and Ingrid Bergman...

2010-03-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

Gothic Films: Taking A Closer Look at "Gothic" Film Noir...With a Look at MGM 1944 Film Starring...Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman and Joseph Cotton...
Gaslight... "Gaslighting" is actually a form of psychological abuse and basically means that a person drives you crazy by denying what is obviously logical or always putting the blame on you.This definition is the most common definition used when describing the word...Gaslighting.

Slipping into Madness...The Slow Process of Driving One Wife Mad...

A synopsis of the film Gaslight

Directed byGeorge Cukor Produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr.Written by Patrick Hamilton (play)John Van Druten Walter Reisch John L. Balderston

StarringCharles Boyer Ingrid Bergman Joseph Cotten Dame May Whitty Angela LansburyMusic byBronislau Kaper CinematographyJoseph Ruttenberg Editing byRalph E. WintersDistributed byMGMRelease date(s) May 4, 1944 (1944-05-04)

Running time 114 minutes Language English
Links to this post
Labels: alice alchrist, film noir, gaslight, gothic noir, image sets, ingrid bergman, insanity, joseph cotton, maids, murder, music, screenshots
Reactions:
Older Posts
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

2010-03-07T23:24:00.000-08:00

In order to read the original review just visit Andrew here... Andrew's Shortcutcinema

Horror: Vincent (1982, Tim Burton)

Vincent (1982) USA, 6 min
Directed by: Tim Burton
Written by: Tim Burton
Starring: Vincent Price (voice)

Vincent (1982) isn't the sort of film that you'd expect to come out of Walt Disney Productions, but it's exactly what you'd expect from Tim Burton.

The director's first success, this six-minute animated short is both an affectionate tribute to the acting career of Vincent Price, and a vehicle for Burton's perverse sense of black humour. Vincent Malloy is a seven-year-old boy with an unhealthy obsession with the actor who shares his name, such that he actively wishes to become Vincent Price – or, more accurately, the range of characters that Price so memorably brought to the silver screen.

Via increasingly-ghoulish flights of imagination, young Vincent envisages mutating his dog into a zombie henchman, dipping his auntie into hot wax, and attempting to dig up the totting corpse of his dead wife. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with Price's body of work to spot all the references, but I'm fairly certain that among the movies Burton had in mind were House of Wax (1953), House of Usher (1960), The Last Man on Earth (1964) and, of course, The Raven (1963).

The film is animated in a style reminiscent of 1920s German Expressionism, with the continually-shifting walls and furniture serving to convey Vincent's escalating madness.

[Note; The youtube Poster (name J.M.Cusack) who posted this video said..." The Tell-Tale Heart is a wonderful animated short film of 1953 based on Edgar Allan Poe short-story. The story told by a mad man has a dark visual with a perfect work of narration by James Mason. It is a UPA Production and was the first cartoon to be X-rated (adults only) in Great Britain under the British Board of Film Censors classification system. Really great - you have to see it."]

A definite stylistic inspiration would also have been Ted Parmelee's The Tell-Tale Heart (1953), an excellent animated short film (based on Edgar Allen Poe's short story) that utilised Expressionism to emphasise the insanity of its narrator, voiced by James Mason.

But Tim Burton goes one better than James Mason, employing the services of Vincent Price himself, who considered the film one of the most memorable tributes he'd ever received. Price narrates the story as a poem, in a manner than suggests the work of Dr. Seuss, but was probably aiming more to emulate Poe's "The Raven," the final lines of which is used to close the story. Like Poe's protagonists in both "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart," young Vincent is left at the whim of his insanity, offered little opportunity for redemption or resolution. If you can handle Burton's macabre sense of humour, then this is a gem.7/10

Posted by ackatsis at 12:20 AM
Labels: 1980s, 1982, 5-10 min, 7/10, animation, horror, USA