The Black Cat (1934)

-

 HALLOWEEN REVIEWS 2022


Director: Edgar G. Ulmer

Writers: Peter Ruric, story by Edgar G. Ulmer & Peter Ruric, suggested by a story by Edgar Allan Poe

Stars: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Julie Bishop, Egon Brecher, Harry Cording, Lucille Lund, Henry Armetta



A pair of young American newlyweds (David Manners and Julie Bishop) become involved in the face-off between the devil-worshipping architect Poelzig (Boris Karloff) and Werdegast (Bela Lugosi), the man he destroyed years before, who has returned for his vengeance.

 




The style of the film is operatic, with big, exaggerated performances, a swelling score derived from classical tunes, and magnificent, brooding set design. 



Director Edgar Ulmer does a wonderful job of building an atmosphere of sinister dread that makes the early part of the film utterly fascinating. 



However, once Poelzig reveals his true nature and intent to the young couple, the film abruptly runs out of steam.

 


The masterful build-up is resolved by a lot of frantic running from room to room, capped off by the obligatory and ludicrous explosion at the end. 



Is this due to the studio hacks that supposedly recut Ulmer's film? 



Has a restored version ever been released?


















Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The End of the Affair (1951)

-
Image
by Graham Greene Maurice Bendix, a writer in WWII London, becomes  obsessed with learning the reason a married woman, Sarah Miles, broke off her love affair with him.   She never explained, and he feels there must have been another man.   When he gets his hands on her diary, he will learn how profoundly Sarah's world changed on the day a bomb struck the building they were occupying, and his own world will be shaken as well.   This is the last of Graham Greene's overtly Catholic novels, and it is fascinating.   Graham Greene Although I found Sarah's abrupt conversion unconvincing (the same problem I had when I saw the film adaptation), I was quickly won over as the consequences played out.   Religious faith can place a burden on the faithful, and Greene often describes it as if it were some form of affliction.   Many Christians say that accepting God will improve one's life here on earth, but in Greene's world, believers often endure terrible suffering and loneliness
Read more

The Thing (1982)

-
Image
Director: John Carpenter Writers: Bill Lancaster, based on "Who Goes There?" by John W. Campbell, Jr. Stars:  Kurt Russell,  A. Wilford Brimley, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur The crew of an Antarctic research station (Kurt Russell,  A. Wilford Brimley, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, and Thomas G. Waites) finds itself in conflict with an alien life form that can change its shape in this classic horror film that was considered both an artistic and commercial failure at its time of release.   Once the creature’s abilities are understood, we are treated to an object lesson (more relevant now than ever) in the destructive effect of division and mistrust on efforts to deal with an existential threat.  This is John Carpenter’s best film.   In addition to building a tremendous atmosphere with a wonderful sense of setting, the constricted
Read more

The Man of Bronze (Doc Savage #1) (1933)

-
Image
by Kenneth Robeson AKA Lester Dent An attempt on the life of Doc Savage--genius, crime fighter,  supreme physical specimen--takes him and his crew of loyal specialists to South America, where they will uncover the secret that Doc's father has left in the care of the people of a lost civilization.   All criticisms of this book concerning clunky prose and mechanical construction are entirely beside the point.   No one should read a pulp adventure novel expecting anything more than a quick, fun read--and Lester Dent (writing as Kenneth Robeson) delivers one.   Lester Dent Pulp authors worked fast and trod a well-worn path traveled by hundreds of other writers telling thousands of similar stories.  However, only a small percentage is remembered today, and Dent surely deserves to be included among their number.   "The Man of Bronze" (French) "The Golden Pyramid" (Italian)
Read more