MARCH 30, 2013

076 SERANATA MACABRA/House of Evil (1968) Directed by Juan Ibanez/Jack Hill. *

This the first of the four Mexican/US coproductions made by Karloff before his death is usually considered the worst of the bunch. I actually thought it was slightly better than the others...but having said that it still stinks. Set in Eastern Europe in the 1800's the credits claim that it is based on Poe which is nonsense although it is slightly less incomprehensible than its companions. Sadly, Boris doesn't hang around too long and it is hard to blame him - although what he does he does well, especially at the climax.  The film's murderous automatons are more interesting than the Mexican cast.

077 THE KILLER SHREWS (1959) Directed bt Ray Kellog  **

Not quite as bad as its reputation suggests as long as the "shrews" are only half seen. Acting from most of the cast is pretty weak (Ken Curtis, who also produced, is obviously taking it very seriously. A word must be said about James Best, an actor too often relegated to playing crazy rednecks (and usually playing them rather well) and probably best know today as the Sheriff in the TV show THE DUKES OF HAZZARD, who here grabs his chance to play a hero and turns in a very creditable performance. Best has recently written and filmed a sequel in which he revives his character. I rather enjoyed THE KILLER SHREWS and look forward to the sequel. No, I have no shame....

....and you thought I was joking!

MARCH 27, 2013

072  FRENCH CAN CAN (1954) Directed by Jean Renoir.  *****

I bow to nobody in my admiration of Jean Renoir, a director who was seemingly able to turn out masterpieces with startling regularity prior to his sojourn in Hollywood, but I approached this - the film that marked his return to France, with some trepidation. The subject didn't seem to hold much appeal to me. But, of course I should have trusted Renoir.  I found the film totally captivating. It is light, frothy and funny. It tells the (fictional) story of the entrepreneur who opened the Moulin Rouge and introduced the Can Can to the world. Jean Gabin (who replaced Charles Boyer prior to shooting) has just the right of sophisticated charm and Francois Arnoul is delightful as the laundry girl he selects to be his new star much to the consternation of her fiance and Gabin's mistress (played by the statuesque and beautiful Mexican star Maria Felix). To be honest the songs are not memorable except for the one sung in the finale although earlier in the film there is a cameo by the great Edith Piaf. The film does score with its dance scenes - a delightful one near the beginning when Gabin and Arnoul meet and the wonderfully exuberant and raucous final can can number. The scene where the girls are training and limbering up (courtesy of Degas)  for the Can Can are great fun. Viewed today it is innocent fun but on its original release outside France the sexual swapping that goes on and  some of the dialogue was considered very racy. The film has now been fully restored. On the BFI DVD there is an interesting documentary about the film which points out the similarities between Renoir himself and the character played by Gabin.

French Can Can

073  THE SUSPICIONS OF MR. WHICHER (2012) Directed by James Hawes ***

Based on Kate Summerscale's best seller this tells the story of the infamous Road Hill House murder of 1860 and the efforts of ace Scotland Yard detective Jack Whicher to prove his suspicions as to the identity of the murderer of 3 year old Savill Kent. Although fact rather than fiction the film is a classic Victorian murder mystery both in its settings and its characters. While the restraints of running time have led to the writer and director somewhat simplifying the investigation the film sticks to the basic facts. A nice performance by Paddy Considine as Whicher (who seems to live in his overcoat!).

The Suspicions of Mr.Whicher

074  THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA (1973) Directed by Robert Kjellin *
075  THE RAVEN (2009) Directed by Uli Lommel *

MARCH 24, 2013

070 CRY OF THE WEREWOLF (1944) Directed by Henry Levin ***

I've been looking for this film for nearly fifty years. Whenever the subject of werewolves came up when I was a teenager (and being a horror fan the subject did come up) my mother always said that this was her favourite of the genre. But the film seemed to have disappeared (at least in Britain). Columbia were not particularly noted for their horror films in the 30's and 40's although they did produce two excellent Karloff vehicles in THE BLACK ROOM and THE DEVIL COMMANDS and the entertaining RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE and, of course, the routine series of mad doctor films with Karloff - the plots and titles of which seem interchangeable. But back to CRY OF THE WEREWOLF. After waiting so long to see it, was I disappointed?  Not at all.  The reviews on IMDb are pretty evenly split between those who are cautiously enthusiastic and those who think it the worst werewolf film ever made. What those who deride the film seem to have completely missed is how much the film is influenced by what Val Lewton was doing over at RKO and the film is almost successful in creating a mood similar to CAT PEOPLE (although Levin, a pedestrian director at best, is certainly no Jacques Tourneur) especially in the scene set in the vaults of a funeral home where Stephen Crane is stalked through the shadows by a wolf - strongly reminiscent of the swimming pool sequence in Tourneur's film. The movie strives for suggestion rather than shock and for the most part succeeds admirably.  Nina Foch is excellent as the gypsy priestess and there is good support from the aforementioned Stephen Crane,Barton, Osa Massen, MacLane, Blanche Yurka, John Abbott and the ever welcome Milton Parsons.

Cry of the Werewolf

Also viewed :

071 THE SHANGHAI COBRA (1945) Directed by Phil Karlson.  **

MARCH 23, 2013

069 WITCHCRAFT (1964) Directed by Don Sharp ***

Better than anything Don Sharp did for Hammer, this is a really good low-budget horror film. Beautifully shot by Arthur Lavis (with my old friend Len Harris taking time out from Hammer to operate the camera) this more than stands comparison with that other much admired minor classic CITY OF THE DEAD. Filmed at Shepperton Studios with much use of iconic horror film location Oakley Court at Bray the film has a more than competent cast led by Lon Chaney, Jack Hedley, David Weston and Diane Clare. A winner all the way.

Witchcraft

MARCH 22, 2013

067 THE BLACK CAMEL (1931) Directed by Hamilton McFadden ***

"Death is a black camel that kneels at every door" says Charlie Chan in this rather good mystery which has a few things that make it stand out from the Chan films I've been enjoying recently. Firstly the film sticks fairly closely to the original Earl Derr Biggers novel on which it is based and Chan is on home ground in Honolulu for once and we get to see all his many children and even catch a brief look at Mrs. Chan. Warner Oland is excellent as honourable detective and the supporting cast is headed by a very elegant looking Bela Lugosi as a psychic (what else?). There is a very young Robert Young and, as a rather weird butler, an uncredited Dwight Frye. It looks like they actually did some location work in Hawaii for this one and the costumes and set design are a wow if you are into 1930's style.

The Black Camel

Also viewed :

068 THE GODFATHER (1968) Directed by Francis Ford Coppola *****

MARCH 20, 2013

065  THE BEGINNING OF THE END (1957) Directed by Bert I. Gordon. **

I admit I have quite I high level of tolerance for stuff like this, indeed for all types of low budget sci-fi, horror and mystery movies. This one was actually far more enjoyable than I expected. Genetic crop research is the cause of a swarm of giant locusts attacking Chicago. As this is a Bert I. Gordon film the special effects are far from special - during the climatic battle the consist mainly of grasshoppers climbing up photographs of Chicago landmarks - but I suppose that is part of the fun. Peter Graves and Morris Ankrum are on hand to save the world with a straight face - both actors well used to this kind of production.

Also viewed :

066   THE CYCLOPS (1957)  Directed by Bert I. Gordon  **

MARCH 18, 2013

063 DARK ALIBI (1946) Directed by Phil Karlson ***

This was one of the Chan films made by Monogram after Fox sold the rights. It is also the fourth from last in the series and Sidney Toler was already showing signs strain caused by the ill health that would kill him the following year. Supposedly the budgets a Monogram were smaller but it doesn't really show here and the script is really good despite the fact I spotted the main culprit as soon as he appeared. Instead as Victoy Sen Yung as No.2 son we have Benson Fong as Tommy Chan and to raise the comedy relief level we have the great black comedian Mantan Moreland. Moreland is always a joy to watch and is more than capable of carrying a film on his own. The idea was probably to take some of the pressure off the ailing Toler but for once it doesn't look like padding and Mantan even gets to do three very clever patter routines with fellow black actor Ben Carter. Carter actually receives third billing on the credits but sadly it would be his last film as he died of diphtheria in soon after the film was released. As an added treat Toler actually joins in the last of the patter routines. Direction is handled by the excellent Phil Karlson.

Dark Alibi