F&TVR’S From Page to Screen: LANA TURNER 1

Lana Turner, Spencer Tracy & Ingrid Bergman in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ( 1941)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) MGM

Directed by Victor Fleming

Screenplay by John Lee Mahin based on the Novella by Robert Louis Stevenson

CAST: Spencer Tracy (Dr. Harry Jekyll / Mr. Hyde), Ingrid Bergman (Ivy Peterson), Lana Turner (Beatrix Emery), Donald Crisp (Sir Charles Emery), Ian Hunter (Dr. John Lanyon).

1hr 53min / Not Rated

Not the best known version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but certainly one of the most interesting due mainly to the stars; Victor Fleming’s production of Stevenson’s tale about science gone wrong and the ensuing madness has a dream cast headed up by Spencer Tracy who is supported by Lana Turner and Ingrid Bergman. Although she was the quintessential Sweater Girl, Lana Turner was much more than just another pretty face. One only need to see her paced performance in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to realize that she was also a gifted actress.

The roles were originally cast in reverse, but Ingrid Bergman knew better and suggested the role reversal with great success. Not only did Bergman’s performance suit the part of Ivy, but Turner was the ultimate beauty in a doomed relationship. It is perplexing to realize that at the time of its release, the film floundered at the box office. In addition, Ingrid Bergman felt that she was miscast even after making the switch from Beatrice to Ivy, and on viewing the film, Spencer Tracy thought his career was over.

Lana Turner & Spencer Tracy in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941), Miriam Hopkins & Fredrick March in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931).

Spencer Tracy may have been carrying the load of the critical attacks and it is even rumored that while visiting the set of the film, W. Somerset Maugham snidely commented, “Which one is he now, Jekyll or Hyde?” The New York Times review was merciless, calling Tracy’s Performance, “…more ludicrous than dreadful.” It is all the more a conundrum due to the simple fact that the performances are what carry this version and make it viewable today.

It should be said that the film is less based on Stevenson’s novel than on the script of the 1931 production that starred Fredrick March, Miriam Hopkins (in Ingrid Bergman’s role), and Ros Hobart (in Lana Turner’s role). Directed by Rouben Mamoulian and unrestrained by the Hayes Code, the earlier version is more of a horror film with a stronger sexual emphasis. Changes had to be made in the 1941 version due to the Hayes Office. Fleming’s film was more of a phycological drama than a horror film, and the sexuality had to be muted to avoid issues with the Code.

Frederick March was in much more make-up and his interpretation more animalistic than Tracy’s, which relied heavily on his acting and light make-up only. Some have criticized this portrayal as over the top, but it is subtlety modulated, and his personality change is severe and believable in both roles. When Hyde grins in the face of his victim’s discomfort, it is unsettling as we feel we can imagine his sinister thoughts. We know we are seeing evil without motivation; it is evil for its own sake. When he trips the waiter after tipping him, our chagrin is genuine.

Spencer Tracy & Lana Turner in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Turner as Jekyll’s fiancé, Beatrix is both beautiful and demure in a role that she underplays with great success. Bergman is Ivy, a bartender in a music hall who meets Dr. Jekyll by way of being rescued as she is attacked on her walk home from the music hall. Presumably dickering over cost with a prospective john (but that is only what you might imagine due to the Hayes Code having caused the roll to be changed from prostitute to barmaid). Dr. Jekyll and his colleague, Dr. John Lanyon (Ian Hunter) come to her defense and although she’s not hurt, she pretends injury, and the good doctor gallantly accompanies her to her room. She flirts with him as he puts her to bed. Of course, he knows that she is not really hurt at all, but too much of a gentleman to mention it. A good man, he is really trying to resist her wiles (Bergman is wonderful in the role) and his friend knocks just in time to save the him from himself.

Spencer Tracy & Ingrid Bergman in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

He is saved from his evil side, but the memory will lurk in the darkness of his soul until his formula brings it to life in the mind of Mr. Hyde. Hyde quickly finds her and begins a relationship of mental terror and torment. Meanwhile, his fiancé is on a short vacation with her father, who does not approve of Dr. Jekyll’s research. Jekyll becomes more and more involved as Hyde in the torment of Ivy than with his research. He even neglects writing to his fiancé as his good side also become obsessed. Suspension of disbelief is strained as Ivy does not recognize Jekyll in the form of Hyde. Or does she suspect it on some level? Whatever the explanation, the cast in this film is formidable, and Lana Turner as Ivy is caught in a triangle that is doomed to the horror of the evil unleashed by science and nurtured by temptation.

Spencer Tracy & Ingrid Bergman in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)

Facts, Rumors & Hearsay

Spencer Tracy arrived at Clark Gable and Carole Lombard’s second wedding anniversary party wearing his make up as Mr Hyde.

Spencer Tracy wanted a realistic approach to the story. He envisioned Dr. Jekyll committing heinous deeds in a part of the city where he was not known, perhaps drunk or high on drugs. He was let down by the producers, who bought the screenplay for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), and insisted on remaking that version. Tracy may have wished to have the story closer to the source: Stevenson’s novella mentions no female love interest for either Jekyll or Hyde.

Director Victor Fleming is said to have slapped both Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner in scenes where tears were required, and with Turner even resorted to arm twisting!

The original pronunciation of the name Jekyll is jee-kle. In this movie it is pronounced jeh-kle which stuck as the popular pronunciation of the doctor’s name.

Other Films Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s Gothic Novella

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) Silent
Directed by John S. Robertson
Screenplay by Clara S. Beranger based on Novella by Robert Louis Stevenson
CAST: John Barrymore, Martha Mansfield, Nita Naldi, and Brndon Hurst

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1960) AKA The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll
Directed by Terence Fisher
Screenplay by Wolf Mankowitz
CAST: Paul Massie, Dawn Addams, and Christopher Lee

Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971)
Directed by Roy Ward Baker
Screenplay by Brian Clemens based on Novella by Robert Louis Stevenson
CAST: Ralph Bates, Martine Beswick, and Gerald Sim

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1973) TV Movie
Directed by David Winters
Screenplay by Sherman Yellen based on Novella by Robert Louis Stevenson
CAST: Kirk Douglas, Susan George, Stanley Holloway, Donald Pleasence, and Michael Redgrave

Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995)
Directed by David Price
Story by David Price, Screenplay by Tim John & Oliver Bucher and William Davies & William Osborne suggested by the Novella by Robert Louis Stevenson
CAST: Sean Young, Tim Daly, Lysette Anthony, Harvey Fierstein, and Thea Vidale

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (2003)
Directed by Maurice Phillips
Screenplay by Martyn Hesfor based on Novella by Robert Louis Stevenson
CAST: John Hannah, David Warner, and Gerard Horan

NEXT: The Postman Always Rings Twice

Producers & Directors Series 2 Alfred Hitchcock: Part Four

Illustration by John Harbourne

Psycho (1960 Paramount Pictures)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Written by Joseph Stefano based on the Novel by Robert Bloch

CAST: Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates), Janet Leigh (Marion Crane), John Gavin (Sam Loomis), Vera Miles (Lila Crane), Martin Balsam (Detective Milton Arbogast), Vaughn Taylor (George Lowery), Frank Albertson (Tom Cassidy), John McIntire ( Sheriff Al Chambers), Patricia Hitchcock (Caroline), John Anderson (California Charlie), Mort Mills (Highway Patrol Officer).

1hr 49min / Rated R

Part 4: The Investigation

After Marion’s disappearance, her sister arrives at Sam Loomis’ store only moments before the arrival of a private investigator. Detective Milton Arbogast is sarcastically officious to the point of rudeness. Sam demands an explanation to the questions that he’s being asked, and the answers he receives mystify him. There is no question that he is telling the truth when he denies knowing anything about Marion and the forty-thousand dollars. Sam’s innocence, along with Lila’s confusion slowly brings the abrasive Arbogast around, but he has to satisfy his own suspicions first.

Arbogast sets out checking one motel after another until he finally stumbles onto the out of the way motel run by Norman Bates. His questioning of Norman starts off slowly, but it isn’t long before Arbogast’s aggressive insistence escalates Norman’s uneasiness and causes him to stumble and give the detective an answer that contradicts one of his previous responses. He is no match for the practiced detective, and Norman’s nerves unravel undermining his concentration to the point of mentioning his mother. He then refuses to continue the conversation and let’s Arbogast know he is no longer willing to speak to him. The sometimes subtle, sometimes sudden changes in mood and personality that Perkins brings to the character of Norman Bates rises to a level that makes it difficult for the viewer not to emphasize with him.

Arbogast leaves the motel and goes to a phone booth and calls Lila. He tells her that he is sure that Marion was at the Bates Motel, but feels that something is not right. Although Norman says she left the next morning, he thinks maybe Norman’s mother knows something that could help them locate Marion. He advises Lila that he is going back to try to speak to the mother. He also tells her that he believes that Sam did not know that Marion had come to see him. He assures her that he won’t be more than a hour. Up to this point, Arbogast has annoyed the viewer almost as much as he did Sam, Lila, and Norman, but when he talks to Lila he seems a different person, kind and comforting. Like the shot of him talking to Norman as his back is reflected in the mirror, it is a reverse reflection of what we see as he grills Norman. One more clue to the paradox that is being unfolded.

Much has been written about Hitchcock’s use of mirrors in Psycho to reflect the idea of a split personality. It is a reflection of Arbogast’s back because he is an unknown, like Norman. We don’t know what to think of him at this point. Arbogast’s is the most telling because the change in his personality is shown and happens right before the second murder.

Returning to the motel, he does not see any sign of Norman. He goes into the house. He starts up the stairs slowly. When he gets to the top of the landing we are startled as Mrs. Bates appears suddenly and stabs him violently. Arbogast staggers backward down the staircase and is followed by the deranged old woman. The scene culminates in a continuation of the vicious stabbing. Like the shower scene, this comes out of nowhere and the shock sends us reeling as we watch helplessly.

Back at Sam Loomis’ store, Lila begins to worry after more than two hours passes and there is no sign of Arbogast. She is convinced that something must have happened to the detective or they would have heard from him. They go to see the Sheriff at his home in the middle of the night, and in the course of trying to convince the Sheriff and his wife that there is something amiss are informed that Mrs. Bates has been dead for ten years. They are more confused than ever as their investigation enters its final stage. They decide to see for themselves what is going on at the Bates Motel.

The next day after seeing the sheriff and his wife at church, they drive to the motel and pretend that they are a married couple wanting to rent a cabin. Lila decides that she wants to go into the house to talk to Norman’s mother. Once they are sure Norman has returned to the house, they go to cabin 1 and examine it. Finding the scrap of paper in the toilet, Lila sees as proof that Marion has been there. Sam reminds her that Norman has never denied that Marion was there. Lila believes that the figures on the paper prove that her sister was going to return the money. It is then that Lila decides to try to find and talk to the old woman. She suggests that Sam be the decoy and she go to the house.

The plan is for Sam to keep Norman busy talking. This turns out to be more difficult than expected. Sam’s questions anger and then bore him. After the ordeal with Arbogast, Norman grows impatient quickly and realizes that he’s being stalled. Hitting Sam in the head with a heavy vase, he then runs to the house.

Lila has been investigating the house. She goes up the stairs to the mother’s room, but finds it empty except for her own reflections in the mirrors that startle her. She is only further confused by what she finds in the empty room. She then heads down stairs and is in the entryway just as Norman is coming up the stairs, and she runs and hides behind the stair case. She sees him come in as she hides in the little stairwell that leads down to the fruit cellar doors. Bates looks in that direction, but chooses to run up the stairs. Of course, he thinks, she’s gone to mother’s room.

Meanwhile, Lila goes down the stairs, unable to resist the lure of the beckoning doors of the fruit cellar. Coming through the door, she immediately sees Norman’s mother sitting with her back to the door as if asleep in the chair. Saying, “Mrs. Bates,” she walks toward her. Then she gently touches the woman’s shoulder, but instead of a response the chair slowly turns to reveal a hideous cadaver and Lila screams. Her up swung hand hits a hanging light as Norman bursts through the door wearing a wig and his mother’s clothes and is closely followed by Sam. Sam grabs and restrains him.

Denouement

This is the only place Psycho falters. It is a scene that has been inserted solely to explain what happened. Aside from being unnecessary, it is clumsy and serves only to pull the audience out of the spell that the film has so carefully cast. The explanation that the psychiatrist gives is overblown and his presentation is both hammy and stagey. All this is moot, because Hitchcock only included it because he had to due to executive pressure. In spite of bringing the incredible flow of the narrative to a jolting halt, it is not enough to ruin the film. Even the noted Hitchcock scholar, Donald Spoto only has this to say about this scene in his excellent, The Art of Alfred Hitchcock:

“The verbal explanation offered later by the psychiatrist at the courthouse adds nothing more…(than what is seen in the last shot as Sam restrains Norman)…The attempt to provide neat psychoanalytic maps to the contours of Norman’s twisted mind seems jejune.”

Donald Spoto
The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: Fifty Years of His Motion Pictures

Spoto calls it boring. He was being kind. I would like to see a director’s cut with the scene eradicated from the film. Then the film would end like this…

then to here..

and finally…

The Film Score

No other film score has had such an impact on its audience.  It is impossible to imagine Psycho without Bernard Herrmann’s score. The two are joined as with no other film and score.  The ‘all strings’ choice that Herrmann made was so perfect for the subject and theme of the film that it is as important as all of the other elements combined. Though partly necessitated by budget limitations: he created a score for what is essentially a low budget black and white film that transcends its limitations in part due to the magnificent score.   Herrmann called it a ‘black and white’ score which is perfect, because the sound so reflects what is happening on the screen that just hearing the music takes the listener back to the scenes as they flash in the mind as if projected on the air.  In this case, the freedom Hitchcock gave the composer did have a immense impact on the finished film.  Herrmann has said that director’s don’t know music and that Hitchcock wanted a ‘jazz score’ with no music in the famous shower scene but Herrmann knew better and had written a piece for that key scene instinctively.  When Hitchcock finally admitted that the scene did need music, Herrmann had just what the director desired.  Hitchcock reinforced the importance of this when he doubled Herrmann’s fee for the film. See Note by Note: Bernard Herrmann (F&TVR Archives/September) for more on Herrmann’s film scores.

F&TVR is proud to have as a contributor, John Harbourne whose art speaks for itself, below he explains how he works:

“When I’m approaching a new drawing I’ll watch the film a few times, make sketches, read the source novel and research online, looking for that angle that will give me the essence of the story.“ John Harbourne from his site: https://johnharbourneartist.com

Facts, Rumors & Hearsay

Alfred Hitchcock doubled Barnard Herrmann’s salary to $34,501. Hitchcock later said, “Thirty-three percent of the effect of Psycho was due to the music.”

Bernard Herrmann has said, “Alfred Hitchcock only finishes a picture 60 percent, I have to finish it for him.” 

The shower scene made Janet Leigh realize how vulnerable a woman was in a shower. To the end of her life, she always took baths.

Hitchcock received an angry letter from a man whose daughter stopped taking baths after seeing Diabolique (1955), and now was refusing to take showers after seeing Psycho. Hitchcock responded with a letter saying, “Send her to the dry cleaners.”

To enhance the voyeuristic feel of the film Hitchcock used a 50 mm lens on his 35 mm camera which most closely approximates human vision. In the scenes where Norman is spying on Marion, this effect is realized.

NEXT: VERTIGO

F&TVR Profile: Stan Lee 2

HEADER: Tobey Maguire & Kirsten Dunst in Spider-Man (2002)

Executive Producers, Avi Arad and Stan Lee on the set of Spider-Man (2002) Columbia Pictures

Spider-Man (2002)

Columbia Pictures

Directed by Sam Raimi

Screenplay by David Koepp based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko

2hrs 1min / Rated PG-13

CAST: Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man/Peter Parker), Willem Dafoe (Green Goblin/Norman Osborn), Kirsten Dunst (Mary Jane Watson), James Franco (Harry Osborn), Cliff Robertson (Ben Parker), Rosemary Harris (May Parker), J.K. Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson).

Still one of the most fully realized of all of the superhero films, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man is flawless, from the casting, to the dynamic between Peter Parker and his Aunt and Uncle, to the fumbling of the teen-age love triangle. All the leads are a spot on and Raimi doesn’t miss a trick as he brings Lee and Ditko’s amazing creation to life. David Koepp’s script is well developed and retains the spirit of the origin of Spider-Man while deepening the pathos and humor. It is as though we are looking into Stan Lee’s mind as he re-imagines the story in the 21st century. So much of what he wrote in the 1960’s blossoms on the screen with all of the power of his imagination as envisioned through Sam Raimi’s eyes.

Kirsten Dunst & Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man (2002)

Toby Maguire makes the perfect Peter Parker with his self effacing demeanor and stubborn resolve. James Franco is the ideal counterpoint with his over confident swagger and questionable morals. They are opposites except in their attraction to the same girl and together, they weave Mary Jane into a web that binds them in their inarticulateness. Kirsten Dunst underplays Mary Jane; her pauses are well timed as she tries to figure out what it is about Spider-Man that so strongly attracts her while Peter remains an enigma.

James Franco & Willem Defoe in Spider-Man (2002)

Willem Defoe’s performance is powerful in both roles of Norman Osborne/Green Goblin as he slowly looses his mind under all the pressure of his business disintegrating.

Cliff Roberson, Rosemary Harris, & J.K. Simmons in Spider-Man (2002)

Cliff Robertson & Rosemary Harris fully embody Peter’s Aunt & Uncle with seemingly effortless performances that are stand outs as supporting roles. J.K. Simmons was born to play J. Jonah Jameson and runs with it. Of course Bruce Campbell shows up to give us some comic relief as Peter tries to win money to buy a car so he can impress M.J. Everything goes wrong from that point on.

Tobey Maguire & Bruce Campbell in Spider-Man (2002)

There are a number of wonderful scenes in this movie and the kiss in the rain is among the great screen kisses. Spider-Man is and has long been one of Stan Lee’s most popular creations. This film brought his web slinger to an even wider audience by bringing it to life as it was imagined by so many of the readers of the early comic books. Spider-Man’s continuing popularity stems from the way that Stan Lee imagined the character right from the start. It was an interesting concept because it was unique among costumed heroes of the time.

Quite simply, Lee found a way to make the conventional super-hero sidekick the lead. It was a character that young readers could truly identify with, and that is what the readers responded to. In their wonderful book, The Comic Book Heroes (Prima, 1997) Gerard Jones and Will Jacobs call the chapter on Spider-Man, “The Hero Who Could Be You”. In the chapter they use the debut of Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy # 15 (August, 1962) from which the first film draws heavily and describes the character as:

“Here was a solo hero, not a kid sidekick or a team member, who was really a teenager, and a teenager who wasn’t happy-go-lucky or goofily cute but truly complex and tormented.”

And:

“His first thoughts were of money and glory. Here was a believably ambivalent hero, who grew into his superheroic role by way of his personal life.”

Gerard Jones & Will Jacobs, The Comic Book Heroes (Prima, 1997)

Peter Parker was redefining the role of the hero behind the mask and became more believable than most of the existing characters and by extension so was Spider-Man. Young readers (and some not so young) were soon clamoring for more. Stan’s universe was in its infancy and there was so much more to come, but Spider-Man was destined to lead the way.

Like much of comic book history, the actual process in creating the character depends on who you ask, but according to Jones & Jacobs it was a collaboration between Lee and his two top artists, Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. Lee felt that Kirby’s interpretation of the character made Spider-Man too noble which is not what Lee had in mind. Ditko’s more unusual style better suited the fledging hero and the stories that Lee had to tell. It was this decision by Lee and the follow-up, which were the first stories, that began the odyssey of the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man.

Stan Lee’s cameo in Spider-Man (2002)

Facts, Rumors & Hearsay

Spider-Man was the first Marvel movie to showcase the riffling pages Marvel logo.

Tobey Maguire had a problem in the now-famous upside-down kissing scene: his sinuses kept filling up with water from the downpour.

Peter’s costume designs were drawn by Phil Jimenez, who was artist on DC’s Wonder Woman at the time.

The Daily Bugle newspaper building in the film is actually the Flatiron building, a famous Manhattan landmark that was built in 1902.

Scream Queens 6

HEADER: Allison Hayes in The Undead (1957)

Pamela Duncan (as Diana Love) in The Undead (1957)

Pamela Duncan (as Helene) in The Undead (1957).

The Undead (1957) AIP

Directed by Roger Corman

Screenplay by Charles B. Griffith & Mark Hanna

CAST: Pamela Duncan (Diana Love/Helene), Richard Garland (Pendragon), Allison Hays (Livia/Witch), Val Dufour (Quintus Ratcliff), Mel Welles (Smolkin the Gravedigger), Dorothy Neumann (Meg Maud/Witch), Billy Barty (The Imp), Bruno VeSota (Scroop the Innkeeper), Robert Devon (Satan).

This film is a curiosity in so many ways that the only way to describe it is as the motion picture equivalent of a train wreck. You just can’t stop watching it because you have to know how it’s going to come out. It is a time travel horror fantasy complete with Satan himself in the final reel. If you are looking for a party film that requires no attention span, you have found it. Pamela Duncan stars in the dual role of Diane Love (a streetwalker) and Helene (a condemned witch in the Dark Ages). A head shrinker regresses Diane to her past life convinced that it will save her from her current wicked ways. This makes as much sense as anything else that happens in this most bizarre of Roger Corman’s films. It is interesting for its complete abandon of sense and an eerie staginess that gives it an other worldly feel. Scream Queen Allison Hayes stars as the witch, Livia.

Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957) Allied Artists

Directed by Roger Corman

Screenplay by Charles B. Griffith

1hr 2min / Not Rated

Cast: Richard Garland (Dale Brewer), Pamela Duncan (Martha Hunter), Russell Johnson (Hank Chapman), Leslie Bradley (Dr. Karl Weigand), Mel Welles (Jules Deveroux).

Top notch Corman with giant telepathic crabs on the loose. Pure monster movie with mutated crabs attacking to gain control of the world. Surprisingly solid entry. Great one to run at night when you’re at the beach (or down the shore if you live in New Jersey).

Pamela Duncan & Richard Garland in Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957)

Pamela Duncan (1924-2005)

Sterling Hayden and Pamela Duncan in Gun Battle at Monterey 1957, Pamela Duncan and Richard Garland in Attack of the Crab Monsters 1957.

Pamela Duncan worked mainly in TV from the early fifties to 1964, appearing in everything from The Roy Rogers Show (1954) to 77 Sunset Strip (1963) accumulating 98 screen credits. She also appeared in a few movies including the Roger Corman films, The Undead and Attack of the Crab Monsters which brought her a short lived notoriety and fame.

Pamela Duncan in The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955) & Death Valley Days (1952)

Allison Hayes (1930-1977)

Richard Garland & Allison Hayes in The Undead (1957)

Allison Hayes worked in both TV and Feature Films (with a total 0f 69 screen credits from 1954 to 1967), and was also a prolific scream queen of the 1950’s starring in a number of B horror films that kept the drive-ins running. She is best known for Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (see Science Fiction Films: 1950’s Part 3).

Allison Hayes’ other horror films include: The Unearthly (1957 / starring John Carradine), The Disembodied (1957), The Undead (1957), Zombies of Mora Tau (1957), The Hypnotic Eye (1960) and The Crawling Hand (1963).

Both Allison Hayes and Beverly Garland were in the western, Gunslinger (1956). Both actors also guest starred in a number of TV westerns.

Beverly Garland & Allison Hayes in Gunslinger (1956)

Curucu, Beast of the Amazon

(1956) Universal

Directed by Curt Siodmak

Screenplay by Curt Siodmak

1hr 16min / Not Rated

CAST: John Bromfield (Rock Dean), Beverly Garland (Dr. Andrea Romar), Tom Payne (Tupanico), Harvey Chalk (Father Flaviano) Larri Thomas (Vivian the Dancer).

Although Beverly Garland did a lot of TV and Feature Films that included dramas, westerns, and thrillers, she was also in a number of B horror films. It is difficult to choose the worst one, and for many, choosing a best would also be a chore. Curucu, Beast of the Amazon is definitely in the running for the worst or best depending on the viewer. The experience of performing in them was best summed up by Garland herself:

“You don’t have to act in these pictures. All you have to do is possess a good pair of lungs. I can scream with more variations from shrill to vibrato than any other girl in pictures.”

and on a more serious note:

“It’s funny today because it’s so ridiculous. But at the time, it was very serious! We were just actors doing our best, I think. None of us overacted. I’m not saying we weren’t good. We didn’t do it tongue-in-cheek. We really meant it. We gave our all. We were serious, good actors and we played it seriously.”

Written & directed by Curt Siodmak, author of a number of other Universal horror films including: The Invisible Man Returns (1940), Black Friday (1940), The Wolf Man (1941), as well as the Val Lewton classic I Walked with a Zombie (1943). It is difficult to understand what happened with its script especially because he also directed, though the answer may be found in this quote about the location shooting in the Brazilian Jungle by Siodmak himself:

“I shot it down there in the jungles. I never recovered, physically.”

John Bromfield and Beverly Garland in Curucu, Beast of the Amazon (1956)

The film is carried by its attractive leads, John Broomfield and Beverly Garland and the Brazilian location photography.

Both Hayes and Garland did many TV appearances including:

Allison Hayes in Tales of Wells Fargo (1957) & Allison Hayes & Robert Williams in Tombstone Territory (1957)

Amanda Blake & Beverly Garland in Gunsmoke (1955), Beverly Garland in The Twilight Zone (1959), David Janssen & Beverly Garland in The Fugitive (1963)

It Conquered the World (1956) AIP

Directed by Roger Corman

Screenplay by Lou Rusoff

1hr 11min / Not Rated

CAST: Peter Graves (Dr. Paul Nelson), Beverly Garland (Claire Anderson), Lee Van Cleef (Dr. Tom Anderson), Sally Fraser (Joan Nelson), Russ Bender (Brig. Gen. James Pattick), Jonathan Haze (Privete Manuel Ortiz), Dick Miller (Sargent Neill).

Beverly Garland in It Conquered the World (1956)

It Conquered the World (1956) which also starred Peter Graves and Lee Van Cleef is also a serious runner for worst, although the unintentionally (we hope) hilarious creature with its bat like flying minions does make for a deer in the headlights reaction for many (myself included). Garland supplies the screams and Peter Graves, well he’s characteristically grave as he fights back against It.

Not of This Earth (1957) Allied Artists

Directed by Roger Corman

Screenplay by Charles B. Griffith & Mark Hanna

1hr 7min / Not Rated

CAST: Paul Birch (Paul Johnson), Beverly Garland (Nadine Storey), Morgan Jones (Harry Sherbourne), William Roerick (Dr. F.W. Rochelle), Jonathan Haze (Jeremy Perrin) & Dick Miller (Joe Piper).

Paul Birch & Beverly Garland in Not of This Earth (1957)

Not of This Earth (1957) is my pick for the best of Garland’s B horror, and not only because it was re-made in 1988 as a Traci Lords vehicle. Yes, really, but also because it is entertaining and Paul Birch’s performance brings a solemnity that keeps the film grounded as Beverly Garland is drawn into the horror of alien invaders in search of blood, lots and lots of blood.

Paul Birch & Beverly Garland in Not of This Earth (1957)

This is a good spot to show pictures from the 1988 re-make for thee of little faith. This was Lord’s first main stream film after the scandal of her underage work in adult films. Corman offered her another role, but because it also contained nudity; she turned it down–due to wanting to get away from the image of an adult star. I like that there’s even a hokey looking lamp in the shot below, even though it is not a table lamp:

Tracy Lord in the 1988 re-make of Not of This Earth

Beverly Garland also stared in Swamp Women & The Alligator People of which the less said the better.

Beverly Garland in Swamp Women (1956) & The Alligator People (1959)

Facts, Rumors & Hearsay

After finishing Curucu, Beast of the Amazon, Corman realized that he had enough film leftover to make another movie. He devised a screenplay, and using some of the actors from Curucu made Love Slaves of the Amazons (1957).

Not of This Earth fell into the public domain because the release print did not include the copyright year.

Allied Artists Pictures released Not of This Earth on a double bill with Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957) with the tag line, “Terrorama! Double Horror Sensation!”

When leading lady Beverly Garland got her first look at the monster in It Conquered the World, she cried, “That conquered the world?”.

Composer and musician Frank Zappa made a tribute to It Conquered the World in his album, Roxy & Elsewhere with the song Cheepnis (1973).

The bat-like creatures that It uses to control people in It Conquered the World would later be re-used in Roger Corman’s next film, The Undead (1957).

Attack of the Crab Monsters was actress Pamela Duncan’s first film for Corman, and she starred in The Undead a month later.

Attack of the Crab Monster’s actor, Russell Johnson would later co-star in the TV series Gilligan’s Island.

The seaplane shown in Attack of the Crab Monsters is a Douglas Dolphin.

NEXT in Scream Queens 7

Science Fiction Films: 1950’s Part 3

The Good, the Bad & the Absurd

Allison Hayes in Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)

Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)

Warner Brothers

Directed by Nathan Juran

Written by Mark Hanna

1hr 5min / Not Rated

CAST: Allison Hayes (Nancy Fowler Archer), William Hudson (Harry Archer), Yvette Vickers (Honey Parker) Roy Gordon (Dr. Isaac Cushing), George Douglas (Sheriff Dubbitt), Ken Terrell (Jess Stout), Otto Waldis (Dr. Heinrich Von Loeb), Ellen Stevens (Nurse), Michael Ross (Tony the Bartender/Space Giant), Frank Chase (Deputy Charlie).

Here we jump ahead to 1958 to look at a movie that is all three: Good, Bad & Absurd. I believe there is more good than bad and equal parts good and absurd; since it is a must see–you be the judge. The plot involves aliens (well, one alien anyway) a cheating husband, a floozy, and one very ticked off wife. The ticked off wife comes in contact with a giant alien and then takes on his proportions. How could you go wrong with that set up?

Allison Hayes, William Hudson & Yvette Vickers as Wife, Cheating Husband and Floozy in Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)

The movie is more silly science fiction brought to you partly by writer Mark Hanna who had a hand in writing Roger Corman’s incomprehensible The Undead (1957). This film at least has the added bonus of intentionally funny dialogue like:

Honey Parker: Didn’t you say she was in the nuthouse for awhile?
Harry Archer: A private sanitarium.
Honey Parker: What’s the difference. She was off her rocker, wasn’t she?
Harry Archer: I suppose so. They’ve got some fancy name for it.

and:

[Finding a giant footprint on the Archer’s yard]
Deputy Charlie: Wow! What is that?
Sheriff Dubbitt: I don’t know. Whatever it is, it wasn’t made by some Japanese gardener.

The idea of the film was designed to ride the wave of films that were popular at the time, The Amazing Colossal Man (1957) and The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). All in all a film that is about what it purports to be about–Attack of the 50 Foot Woman works on its own absurdly funny terms.

Facts, Rumors, & Hearsay

The ad for this movie was designed by Roger Corman and is in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection. It was also chosen as one of the 25 best movie posters of all time (coming in at #8) by Premiere Magazine.

Principle photography was completed in only eight days.

NEXT: The Good, the Bad & the Absurd continues…

Full Moon Madness Halloween Movie List: Werewolves!

Starting off our list (which is in reverse chronological order) are two very original werewolf films, Ginger Snaps & An American Werewolf in London. Although An American Werewolf in London stays truer to the werewolf mythos, it turns the victims regret into a living dread, and Ginger Snaps is a brilliantly black comic look at the changes that can be brought on by the full moon. The following films remain the most imaginative of not only the werewolf genre, but of horror films in general.

Ginger Snaps (2000) DEJ Productions

Directed by John Fawcett

Written by Karen Walton

1hr 48min / Rated R

CAST: Kathrine Isabelle (Ginger), Emily Perkins (Bridgette), Kristopher Lemche (Sam), Jesse Moss (Jason), Danielle Hampton (Trina), Mimi Rogers (Pamela), John Bourgeois (Henry), Peter Keleghan (Mr. Wayne), Christopher Redman (Ben), Lindsay Leese (Nurse Ferry).

Kathrine Isabell & Emily Perkins in Ginger Snaps (2000)

Karen Walton’s screenplay renders an entirely original take on werewolf mythology. The script’s feminist’s tongue in cheek narrative takes the viewer into the darkness in wonderfully weird ways. Fawcett’s direction elicits exceptional performances by all, especially Isabelle & Perkins who quickly make the roles their own. This is a must see, Halloween or not. So when that moon comes up don’t forget to press play!

An American Werewolf in London (1981) Universal

Written & Directed by John Landis

1hr 37min / Rated R

CAST: David Naughton (David Kessler), Griffin Dunne (Jack Goodman), Jenny Agutter (Nurse Alex Price), Anne-Marie Davies (Nurse Susan Gallagher), David Schofield (Dart Player), Brian Glover (Chess Player), Lila Kaye (Barmaid), Joe Belcher (Truck Driver), Paddy Ryan (First Werewolf)

Griffin Dunne, David Naughton, and Jenny Agutter in An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Easily one of the most frightening of all classic monster horror films. Everything from the transformation to the haunting by the werewolf’s victims is terrifying. One of the most memorable scenes is a nightmare that is even more horrifying than the situation that Naughton (David Kessler) finds himself in after being bitten and killing his friend. An exceptional cast adds atmosphere and includes Jenny Agutter (Logan’s Run 1976, The Avengers 2012) as Naughton’s lover and nurse. This hardcore werewolf tale is not for the faint of heart, but is perfect for a terrifying Halloween.

The Howling (1981) MGM

Directed by Joe Dante

Written by John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless

1hr 31min / Rated R

CAST: Dee Wallace (Karen White), Patrick Macnee (Dr. George Waggner), Dennis Dugan (Chris), Christopher Stone (William “Bill” Neill), Kevin McCarthy (Fred Francis), Belinda Balaski (Terry Fisher), Elizabeth Brooks (Marsha Quist), Robert Picardo (Eddie Quist), Margie Impert (Donna).

Dee Wallace, Margie Impert, Patrick Macnee, and Elizabeth Brooks in The Howling (1981)

With a screenplay by John Sayles (Brother From Another Planet 1984) you must expect the unexpected and this offering is unique in the extreme. Joe Dante expertly juggles the frights with the funny and is assisted by an exceptional cast including Dee Wallace, Kevin McCarthy, and Patrick Macnee. One of the great werewolf pictures that digs a little deeper than the rest of the pack.

Wolfen (1981) Orion

Directed by Michael Waldleigh

Written by Michael Waldleigh & David Eyre & David M. Eyre, Jr.

1hr 55min / Rated R

CAST: Albert Finny (Dewey Wilson), Diane Venora (Rebecca Neff), Edward James Olmos (Eddie Holt), Gregory Hines (Whittington), Tom Noonan (Ferguson), Dick O’Neill (Warren), Dehl Berti (Old Indian).

Albert Finney, Dick O’Neill, & Diane Venora in Wolfen (1981)

This film stays even further from the pack, and has a very different take on werewolves. Wolfen is a horror film that is part mystery and suspense and set in the South Bronx. Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is investigating a number of brutal deaths that appear to be animal attacks. Finney (Big Fish 2003) is supported by a strong cast as well as a well written script that also reflects on the plight of Native Americans. This is another must see that scares and informs. It may be due to its very original narrative that it has not received the popularity that it deserves. Be that as it may, a perfect Halloween who done it.

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

Hammer Films

Directed by Terence Fisher

Written by Anthony Hinds based on the Novel by Guy Endore

1hr 33min / NR

CAST: Clifford Evans (Alfredo), Oliver Reed (Leon), Yvonne Romain (Servant Girl), Anthony Dawson (The Marques Siniestro), Josephine Llewellyn (The Marquesa), Richard Wordsworth (The Beggar), Anne Blake (Rosa Valiente).

Oliver Reed, Yvonne Romain, & Anthony Dawson in The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

The Curse of the Werewolf is the most underrated of all of the Hammer horror films. Yet, even though it is one of their best efforts, it has never received the popularity of the Dracula and Frankenstein pictures. It boasts a competent script that reflects some 1960’s values, even though it is set in 18th Century Spain. It has a fine cast that includes Yvonne Romain (Circus of Horrors 1960) and Oliver Reed (Oliver 1968) as the Werewolf. This neglected classic is Terence Fisher’s most accomplished work and is a fine way to spend a full moon with a loved one.

The Wolf Man (1941) Universal

Directed by George Waggner

Written by Curt Siodmak

1hr 10min / NR

CAST: Claude Rains (Sir John Talbot), Warren William (Dr. Lloyd), Ralph Bellamy (Colonel Paul Montford), Patric Knowles (Frank Andrews), Evelyn Ankers (Gwen Conliffe), Bela Lugosi (Bela), Maria Ouspenskaya (Maleva), Fay Helm (Jenny Williams), & Lon Chaney Jr., (as Larry Talbot, the Wolfman)

Lon Chaney Jr., Evelyn Ankers, and Maria Ouspenskaya in The Wolf Man (1941)

This is the film that started it all with a fine script by Curt Siodmak (I Walked With a Zombie 1943), and an astonishing cast that gives gravity to the story of the gypsy legend of the werewolf. Bela Lugosi is solid as the gypsy and Claude Rains (Casablanca 1942) scores once more as Talbot Sr. Evelyn Ankers (Ghost of Frankenstein 1942) is the love interest put in peril by the full moon. The film is one of the most popular of the original Universal horror films, and it made Chaney a star. For a classic Halloween, this film is fun for the entire family.

NEXT: Scream Queens 1950 – 2020: 70 Years of Horror

Film Noir 3

Two very different interpretations of Woolrich stories can be found in the work of two unlikely directors. The first, Deadline at Dawn, is the only film directed by well known theatrical director, Harold Clurman. The second, The Bride Wore Black, directed by one of the leaders of the French New Wave, Francois Truffaut. Truffaut was tipping his hat to Hitchcock with Bride, but the reasons for Clurman’s venture into the world of Noir is unclear. To further confound reason, the screenplay was written by Clifford Odets!

Deadline at Dawn (1946) RKO Pictures

Not Rated/82 minutes

Directed by Harold Clurman & William Cameron Menzies (uncredited).

Screenplay by Clifford Odets based on the Novel by William Irish (AKA/Cornell Woolrich).

CAST: Susan Hayward (June Goffe), Paul Lukas (Gus Hoffman), Bill Williams (Alex Winkler), Joseph Calleia (Val Bartelli), Osa Massen (Helen Robinson), Lola Lane (Edna Bartelli), Jerome Cowan (Lester Brady), Marvin Miller (Sleepy Parsons).

Under the name William Irish, Cornell Woolrich published Deadline at Dawn. The book is a nightmarish journey through the darkness of the city made by a paranoid sailor due to the death of a woman he meets while on leave. He feels he has to find the killer by dawn or he will be blamed for the murder. Helping him come to that conclusion are the cabby, Gus (Paul Lukas) and the Taxi dancer, June (Susan Hayward).

Harold Clurman was a theatrical director and this was his only feature film. The playwright, Clifford Odets had collaborated with Clurman on the stage and wrote the screenplay based on the William Irish novel. Odets’ treatment surely would be unique. His previous screenplays included: The General Died at Dawn (1936), None But the Lonely Heart (1944), and Rhapsody in Blue (1945/uncredited). Noir was not exactly his niche. Between that and Clurman’s feeling that he was slumming, it is astonishing that the film came out as well as it did. The final result has been credited to William Cameron Menzies who was uncredited as a co-director.

Above: Bill Williams, Susan Hayworth & Paul Lukas in Deadline at Dawn

The film showcases Susan Hayward in glorious black and white by cinematographer, Nicholas Musuraca whose prior credits include the atmospheric photography for Val Lewton’s Cat People (1942), and The Seventh Victim (1943). Atmosphere is what he brings to Deadline at Dawn as well. Hayward’s performance is the center of the film with the vitality that moves the characters through the shadows and into–well–more shadows.


The Bride Wore Black/La marie etait en noir (1968) UA

Not Rated/107 minutes

Directed by Francois Truffaut.

Screenplay by Francois Truffaut and Jean-Louis Richard based on the Novel by Cornell Woolrich.

CAST: Jeanne Moreau (Julie Kohler), Michel Bouquet (Coral), Jean-Claude Brialy (Corey), Claude Rich (Bliss), Alexandra Stewart (Mlle Becker), Michael Lonsdale (Rene Morane).

In 1968 Francois Truffaut released a film that was his tribute to Alfred Hitchcock, and he even went so far as to hire Bernard Herrmann to write the score. For that alone this film is a unique treasure.

The film stars the talented Jeanne Moreau (Jules et Jim) as the bride, Julie Kohler in a performance that enthralls the viewer in her role as the vengeful widow. Her husband is assassinated at their wedding. It is an accident, but that does not seem to matter to the Julie as she takes out the killers one by one.

Truffaut takes Woolrich’s tale and makes it his own, perhaps that is the greatest tribute he could bestow on Hitchcock. Truffaut’s style seems antithetical to Noir and yet, the film works in the same way that Truffaut’s second film, Shoot the Piano Player (1962) became a classic of the genre.

Both of these films are must sees not because of how they fit into the Noir mold, but because of how they don’t.

NEXT

Chandler: The Blue Dahlia & Murder, My Sweet

Science Fiction Films: 1950’s Part 2

The Thing from Another World (1951) RKO Pictures

Directed by Christian Nyby, and Howard Hawks (uncredited).

Screenplay by Charles Lederer based on the story, Who Goes There by John W. Campbell, and Howard Hawks (uncredited), and Ben Hecht (uncredited).

CAST: Margaret Sheridan (Nikki Nicholson), Kenneth Tobey (Captain Patrick Hendry), Robert Cornthwaite (Dr. Arthur Carrington), Douglas Spencer (Ned Scott), James Young (Lt. Eddie Dykes), Robert Nichols (Lt. Ken MacPherson), Dewey Martin (Crew Chief Bob), William Self (Cpl. Barnes), Eduard Franz (Dr. Stern), Sally Creighton (Mrs. Chapman), and James Arness (The Thing)

Co-written and Co-Directed by Hollywood A lister, Howard Hawks (uncredited) The Thing from Another World is the dark mirror version of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Howard Hawks was the credited producer of this creature feature that paints aliens as monsters of destruction. The Thing from Another World remains one of the classics of Science Fiction and Horror even if we are viewing through the wrong end of the telescope. All of our worst fears are confirmed: the aliens are coming and they are possessed by a mindless evil, or is it just a superior intelligence trying to survive? The second classic science fiction film of the fifties is as much horror as science fiction. It is as though Frankenstein’s Monster has fallen from the stars (and in fact when Hawks was trying to get the make-up for the film’s monster to his liking after many tries, he told make-up artist Lee Greenway to put a Frankenstein type of head on Arness). Instead of a village of frightened peasants, we have a group of military men, scientists, and a journalist, but the results are pretty much the same.

The cast is led by Margaret Sheridan (Nikki Nicholson), who provides the playfully flirtatious love interest, and Kenneth Tobey (Captain Patrick Hendry) who was drunk under the table and left unconscious at a party by Nikki prior to her departure from Anchorage to return to the Arctic. Now reunited, the Captain tries to rekindle the romance.

Adding insult to injury, Nikki left a note taped to the Captain referring to his legs. We see that Nikki is enjoying stringing Captain Hendry along. Kenneth Tobey plays the lead straight and is good humored as Sheridan uses her wry whimsy to bait him.

The group of military men have been assigned to assist the scientists in investigating an object that has landed in the arctic. They find what appears to be a large saucer shaped object buried in the ice. The decision to blast it out with Thermite explosives turns out to be an error, because the blast indirectly destroys the object. It should have just melted the ice, but the heat generated by the blaze sets off something in the craft that causes the explosion, “that was the engine,” shouts one of the men.

As they start to investigate the cause, they find that something was thrown from the ship and frozen just beneath the surface. Having learned their lesson with the loss of the ship, they decide to cut the figure out of the ice. They then take the block of ice back to their base and into a large storage room.

ABOVE: Robert Cornthwaite, Eduard Franz, Dewey Martin, Robert Nichols, William Self, Douglas Spencer, Kenneth Tobey, and James Young.

Unable to control the temperature of the room, the Captain orders the window in the room to be broken, he defies Dr. Carrington’s demand to be allowed to thaw the being for immediate scientific investigation. The Captain is trying to get orders on how to proceed, but they cannot get through on the radio. Tension builds between the scientists and the military over the handling of the creature.

ABOVE: Dewey Martin & Kenneth Tobey.

Dewey Martin, Robert Nichols, William Self, Margaret Sheridan, Douglas Spencer, Kenneth Tobey, & James Young.

Meanwhile, Lt. Ken MacPherson, who is on first watch over the creature, is getting creeped out because the ice is clearing and he can better what is in the ice. He is especially bothered by the creature’s eyes. This and the dropping temperature cause the Captain to shorten the shifts on the watch to two hours apiece.

When the watch changes and the replacement throws an electric blanket over the block of ice (presumably so he won’t have to look at the Thing in the ice), and of course, the ice begins melting. Suddenly, the Thing is loose. The guard escapes to alert the others. They sound the alarm and dash to the storage room to try to contain the creature.

ABOVE: Dewey Martin, Kenneth Tobey, & James Young.

When they arrive in the storage room, the Thing has already gone outside. It is being attacked by the dogs and escapes when the men come out, but leaves behind an arm that has been torn off. While the scientists discuss what they are learning from the limb–the hand begins to move. This broadens their understanding of the creature. They have surmised that the creature is of vegetable matter and now they realize it feeds on blood. The blood of the dogs giving life to the detached limb is ominous and it reverberates in the men’s reactions. Seeing that the creature is a threat, they set off after it in earnest.

The film is still one of the best of the early Science Fiction/Horror films and it is a terrific monster movie. The cinematography is excellent, the script is well paced, and all of the players are on point giving a realistic feel to the base which enhances the horror of the situation. There is a good deal of action and the fact that you don’t get to see the Thing up close until nearly the very end, adds to the suspense of the movie.

The film was remade in 1982 as The Thing by John Carpenter who stayed truer to the original story with the Thing being a shape shifter. The effects are horrific and Ken Russell and the rest of the cast are in for a hell of a ride.

Facts, Rumors, & Hearsay

Directors John Frankenheimer, Ridley Scott, Tobe Hooper, & John Carpenter all credit the film as an influence on their own work.

James Arness complained that the Thing make-up and costume made him look like a giant carrot.

Hawks was turned down by a number of insurance companies when trying to insure the production due to the fact that the Thing was to be set on fire, ravaged by dogs, frozen in a block of ice, set on fire, & electrocuted.

The film was made at a cost of only $40,000.00 which is still low budget by today’s standards equating to about $380,000.00.

There is a possibility that Ben Hecht and William Faulkner, both friends of Hawks, contributed to the script.

Available on DVD, Blu-Ray and streaming.

NEXT

The Good, the Bad, & the Absurd

F&TVR’s Friday the 13th Halloween Picks 2019

Halloween is right around the corner and on this dreary Friday the 13th at F&TVR, I am planning on recommendations for Halloween viewing. As the lightning flashes and the thunder echoes and I’m thinking of the upcoming full moon, I am inspired to do two short early Halloween picks posts. This first one is general and the full moon post will be themed. So here goes. The first two are favorites of mine, the second of which has spawned an FX series. The third, the obligatory chiller! This is just a warm-up–more will follow.

ABOVE: Carol Kane, Iggy Pop, & Steve Buscemi

The Dead Don’t Die (2019) Written & Directed by Jim Jarmusch.

A departure for the director boasting a stellar cast including Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Bill Murray, Chole Sevigny, Carol Kane, Tilda Swinton, Iggy Pop, & Tom Waits among others that have worked with Jarmusch on prior projects. Jarmusch decapitates the genre in his own unique style.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014) Written & Directed by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi.

Again, more comedy than horror in this mock documentary about vampires that inspired the 2019 FX show of the same name. This is a great Halloween film that can be followed up with episodes from the FX series for an extended Halloween recalling good times along the Carpathian Mountains.

Silent House (2011) Directed by Chris Kentis & Laura Lau. Screenplay by Laura Lau based on the original screenplay The Silent House (2010) by Oscar Estevez

ABOVE: Elizabeth Olsen in Silent House (2011)

For those looking for a less humorous and more frightening Halloween, Silent House is claustrophobic creepy. A remake of Gustavo Hernandez’s The Silent House, Kentis & Lau’s Silent House is carried by the virtuoso performance of Elizabeth Olsen in a single shot tour de force.

NEXT: Full Moon Halloween Movie Madness

F&TVR Profile: Stan Lee 1

Introduction

Too Marvelous for (Just) Words!

Stanley Lieber wanted to be a novelist. When he started working for Martin Goodman at Atlas/Timely Comics that was his dream. He began by writing short prose stories (every comic book had to have one to qualify for the lower book rate shipping), but he changed his name to Stan Lee to sign off on these because he wanted to save his real name for the important writing that would be in his future, his novels. His first filler story was a Captain America story. Little did he know how long he would be working with this character. How could he? The comics were at an impasse. It seemed like they were about to go the way of the dinosaur, but then Stan Lee happened. Not only did he revive the faltering company owned by Martin Goodman by making it the marvel of the industry, but he influenced the company he would come to call his Distinguished Competition again and again. Just as DC’s Justice League had spurred him to create the Fantastic Four many of his innovations would be noticed and embraced by not only DC National Comics, but by anyone who was paying attention.

Two early issues of The Fantastic Four each featuring an enduring menace; Namor, the Sub Mariner in issue #4 who will be a temptation to Sue Storm for some time to come, and the brilliantly evil, Doctor Doom in issue #5. Namor, not exactly a villain, but a lothario and rival for Sue’s affections. Namor’s two concerns, protecting his underwater kingdom and making Sue Storm his queen. Dr. Doom, the King of Latvaria whose passions are defeating the Fantastic Four and ruling the world.

The personalities and private concerns of his characters became the drama and comedy that powered his stories and made them memorable, above: Johnny Storm (Chris Evans), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba), Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd), Ben Grimm/The Thing (Michael Chiklis), Alicia (Kerry Washington, and Stan Lee’s Cameo as Willie Lumpkin. Life was never simple with the Fantastic Four.

His most important contribution to comic books was not just the many wonderful characters he created or co-created with others, but how he managed to imbue them with real life characteristics beyond what was necessary to tell an action/adventure story. He all but literally breathed life into them. He simply gave them what he called ‘hang-ups’ which is how he referred to the real life problems that we all have. He brought them down to earth and in doing so, made them more credible to his readers even though their powers and adventures were incredible.

In addition, he was a master showman. With his simple ‘Stan’s Soapbox’ column, he managed to make readers feel that he was talking to them, and they had no reason to believe he wasn’t. It made the experience of reading comic books interactive before anyone ever dreamed of a PC. The letter pages contained letters from readers of all kinds including some who were destined to draw and write the very comics that they were reading and writing to. Even those readers that didn’t go on to draw or write comics were mentored by Stan. He helped them to see the world though his eyes of wonder and imagination.

The comics flourished, in part because they could make anything happen that could be drawn. The writer’s imagination could be full blown without having to worry about how to produce the powers, effects, outer space, even other planets and their inhabitants. Imagination reigned on the four color pages. It took television and the movies decades to catch up. Now, no matter what the artist puts on the story board, it can be translated to the screen.

ABOVE: Captain America (Chris Evans), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), & Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) in The Avengers (2012)

The current blockbuster super hero films are the result of an odyssey that Lee started out on in 1981 when he relocated to California to concentrate on developing Marvel TV and feature film projects. The earliest success was TV’s The Incredible Hulk (which may have prompted Lee’s decision to get more involved) starring Bill Bixby & Lou Ferrigno. Stan Lee was a consultant on 82 episodes from 1977 to 1981. Guest stars on the show included Loni Anderson, Ray Walston, Sally Kirkland, Pat Morita, Joi Lansing, and Mackenzie Phillips to name just a few that appeared during the five successful seasons.

ABOVE: The Incredible Hulk, Season 4 Episodes 1 & 2 Prometheus: Ric Drasin, Laurie Prange, Bill Bixby, & Lou Ferrigno.

NEXT: Spider-Man