EEGAH! (1962). Really bad low budget offering in every department. The late Richard Kiel (Jaws in the James Bond films) offers some pathos as the lonely caveman, but things get a little risque as he all but undresses the obnoxious girlfriend of the even more obnoxious hero (played by Arch Hall Jr who redeemed himself a couple of years later in the frankly unsettling THE SADIST.)
Some decent footage of Bronson Canyon used in loads of B movies like TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE and ROBOT MONSTER.
I like cheesy B flicks, but found this a very long 90 minutes. Watch at your own risk. *1/2

Love that movie!

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Entertaining William Castle thriller.

Faust (1926)
Poster.

Cinematography and the special effects were really great at it's time. It had this "theater act" feel to it (it was written as a play). Director was F.W. Murnau who is known for directing Nosferatu (1922).
Should I say, a classical piece of cinema? Great German Expressionism style, religion-themed film?

Dracula Has Risen from the Grave -- 3.5/10; Most of the running time is spent with the dullest characters. Good job, writer.

House of Frankenstein -- 6.5/10; Although Karloff gives a nice performance, too much time is spent on his character to make this a high-caliber monster mash-up.

The Indestructible Man
2/10

Lon Chaney Jr is a ruffian who gets a second chance to get revenge and his loot.

Spoilers -
Lon is put to death, and 5000 volts brings back to life, and super strong and impervious to bullets. It's really bad, but fun film to make funny comments while watching -- which is what 3 buddies and I did the other night. It was fun.

I agree Frye Dwight. EEGAH was not even scary at all. the only good version was the mst3k version.

Oh by the way Richard Kiel is not dead yet. damn

The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953): 8.5/10- First viewing

I posted my specific thoughts on Villain's thread.

The Old Dark House (1963)

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Still on the Castle binge - Charming, funny old school old house and an inheritance flick. Titles were done by Charles Addams and the sets are great. Very different from the James Whale version of the same book (Benighted).

THE CURSE OF THE FLY (1965). Although no flying insects are here and Vincent Price is sorely missed (According to the featurette, VP was working at AIP and could not get out, thus Brian Donlevy as the only name actor here), the teleporter is still being used with less than desirable effects. Not a bad little film with some creepy scenes throughout. It also looks like David Cronenberg got some inspiration for parts of his 1986 FLY film. ***

The Vampire Bat 1933
3/10

Majestic Pictures took advantage of the upcoming release of Mystery of the Wax Museum (which was to have a long post-production time) and grabbed it's two stars: Fay Wray and Lionel Atwill (who were done shooting Wax), leased Universal Pictures sets (formerly used for Frankenstein), and made and released The Vampire Bat a month before Wax Museum was finished and released.

The sets and cinematography are pretty good, and you get to see the great Dwight Frye try to make something out of a mentally handicapped bit part, Herman, who has lines like, "Herman get for you." Film needed Frye to star, because there wasn't much there for any actor. The story is a hodge-podge of horror elements: vampirism, hypno-telepathy, and the creation of artificial life. At least there's a mystery, but it's really MST2K fodder.

THE SNORKEL (1958). Hammer noir that starts out quite well, then becomes a long Nancy Drew mystery with an incredibly annoying teenage girl.
POSSIBLE SPOILER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ..
Could have ended with SUCH a bang, but probably not able to end it on such a bleak note back then, so had to tack on lame ending. Shame. **1/2

MANIAC (1962)-Another Hammer noir that is quite salacious and sadistic, but loses impact towards the end. ***

Watching Brides of Dracula right now. Having myself a little Hammer marathon. Starting with this, then will move on to Curse of the Werewolf. Tomorrow I'll continue with Phantom of the Opera, Paranoiac (which I highly recommend to neverending and everyone), The Kiss of the Vampire, Nightmare, Night Creatures, and ending with The Evil of Frankenstein.

Brides of Dracula was always my favorite Hammer film, beautiful cinematography and engrossing.


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The Birds
7/10

Been a long time since I've seen the Birds. Forgot about the opening story of the very forward Tippi Hedren breaking into a stranger's house to drop off Love Birds and then staying at his ex-girlfriends place. I now notice the birds are matted over the human scenes. Never noticed that the first time.

Nice to see the beautiful Jessica Tandy, lookin fine. Of course Tippi and Suzanne Pleshette are quite fetching as well. I forgot Veronica Cartwright was in this. Bizarre coincidence, I had just watched veronica about the same age in the Twilight Zone episode "I Sing the Body Electric", not to mention a few Leave It to Beaver episodes. She was perhaps best known as the blonde in Alien.

In "Psycho fashion", there's the 'left turn' at the 1/3, or so, point of the flim, and the birds muscle in. I forgot how quickly the film ends after the first attack. Seems to end abruptly.

Impactful as horror-suspense (I think less so circa 2014), but not a particularly strong narrative, nor strong characters.

That's a bit harsh isn't it, Sculpt?!

Its a decent little murder mystery, with a great atmosphere for the time. It might fall apart a bit in the second half, but its not that bad. The cast alone have gotta lift this beyond a 3/10.... I'm sure you can find an extra couple of points for this fun little flick, don't be so tight. ::stick out tongue::

I, too, was shocked and disturbed by Sculpt's 3/10 for Vampire Bat.

Shocked and disturbed? LOL Comon now, MM. In my rating system, 7/10 is a good film. I like to leave room for more impressive works.
I can reconsider.

It does have good atmosphere, and at least there is a mystery, but it's not a particularly good mystery... with each murder they discover the body has no blood, and never anything more. Let's face it, either the detective sucks, or the script. ::big grin::

Although the shot is a bit static, I did like the opening scene with all the men around the table, decent dialogue & acting. What the blood was being used for was... what's the word... gumptious.

I'll take it on good advice to upgrade to: 4/10

RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE (1944). A Dracula in all but name from Columbia Studios that is slow plodding with two of the most limpid leading ladies ever and a talking werewolf (swear to God!) who carries a bundle under his arm and looks like a cairn terrier. Bela Lugosi, as usual, carries the film with decent support from Miles Mander. **1/2

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13 Ghosts (1960)
Fun little William Castle haunted house horror - filmed in Illusion-O. Just noticed Castle seems to cast the parents of his families pretty old.

Demons of the Mind (1972)
So-So Hammer Horror whose only high point is Patrick Magee chewing the scenery plus unexpected full frontal nudity too (but alas itsn't Patrick Magee).

Dracula -

I was sure I saw this when I was young. But I didn't remember any of it. The movie is good. But it's slow. So slow that I would say 90% or more of today's audience wouldn't put up with it. So many times I thought there was going to be a fight scene but nope. Yet it wasn't a bad thing.

I love the look of these classic movies. It really helps the setting and realism. At least to me. Dracula's castle is pretty cool. I like the oversize fireplace and scope of the place. Some stuff is obvious like the prop bat flying around. But let's be honest, in today's version that bat would be flying like mad attacking people. I was also surprised at where they cut the movie. No bites. All off screen and fade outs. The mirror reveal was great too. But I was really shocked by the ending. I didn't expect that.

Voodoo Man (1944)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Voodoo_Man.jpg

Pretty lame but still fun Lugosi film from Monogram Studies. John Carradine plays his idiot bongo playing henchman.

Ha. Love to see that just for Caradine.

Quite true -he all but steals the film.
One of the better Monograms. For Thanksgiving 1972, visited friends of my parents and the first ROCK CONCERT was playing and The Alice Cooper Group was on. Loved "School's Out" and was all set to watch. However, Alice was the Anti-Christ back then, my Mom HATED him and I was forbidden to watch. Knowing there would be Hell to pay if caught, watched VM instead. Maybe she thought Bela, JC, George Zucco and "Ramboona" were less of a bad influence.

Today is October 20th. On this date in 1882, the immortal Bela Lugosi was born. To commemorate this occasion I'm having a Lugosi double feature:

1) Dracula (1931)
2) The Return Of The Vampire (1944)

Both are required viewing during Halloween season:halloween:

What old movie is this gif from?

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Looks creepy.

The House on Haunted Hill with Vincent Price

Damn it, I thought it was from a movie I hadn't seen. ::sad::

Sorry to disappoint you, dear

Night Creatures

Nice! I took a long look at title once. What did ya think?

The Frozen Dead (1966)

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Frozen Nazis, Nazi medical Experiments, Living Severed heads, re-animated arms - what more could you want?

The Dark Eyes of London (1939)
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Lugosi and his lumbering blind hulk of a henchmen kill people to benfit from thei insurance. Excellent vehicle for Bela.

I love anything that Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed do. So, this was a double pleasure!

Watched Horror of Dracula last night. This week will be all Dracula/Frankenstein/Wolf Man movies. I'll alternate between Hammer and Universal.

Dracula Has Risen From the Grave

13 Ghosts

1931 Frankenstein is one of my favorites

'Curse Of The Undead' (1959)
-Michael Pate, Eric Fleming


Plot: Mysterious Gunfighter for hire Drake Robey is really a vampire, and it's up to the town preacher to save it's citizens and his girlfriend.





Phantoms Review:
This is one of my annual Halloween movie treats. It appeals to both the horror and western fan in me. While it's definitely a "B" movie, the film treats it's respective genres very respectfully.* It's smartly written, has a great atmospheric feel to it , and has a wonderful, spooky music score. Filled with recognizable western character actors, who do a fine job.This film is worth watching.

'Horror Of Dracula' (1958)
-Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing

Phantoms Review: Nothing I can say, that hasn't been said before. ..brilliant, amazing, classic.

Dracula- on the big screen, with the Philip Glass score.

I'll admit I've always found this one a bit slow, but on the big screen the majesty of the sets and the atmosphere really comes alive... but so does the at times overwhelming theatricality.

Enjoyed the film more than I have previously.