#1940&039;s horror

[nathanscovell]

Three scientist travel deep into the Amazonian jungle to meet a Dr. Thorkel. Little do they know that this madman will do anything to pursue his scientific breakthrough. Know one will get in his way of scientific triumph! WOOOHAHHAHA!

Dr. Cyclops is a classic sci-fi horror film from 1940, the “golden age” of horror.* This film was directed by Ernest B. Shoedsack and he was a pioneer of film. Shoedsack brought us great classics like the 1933 King Kong, Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young.

  Like his past movies; Dr. Cyclops also has elaborate sets and great practical effects. Maybe not “amazing” by today’s standards, but the craftsmanship is truly inventive. Also, Dr. Cyclops was the first horror film to be shot in Technicolor giving the film it’s over saturated effect.

Dr. Thorkel

One of my childhood memories is watching classic horror films with my dad. It was because of this time with my father that my love for horror films started. He introduced me to movies like Frankenstein, The Wolfman and this sci-fi horror Dr. Cyclops. I loved this movie and even today I feel childhood memories returning when I hear that eerie sound of Dr. Thorkel turning the the crank to his shrinking machine.

  Dr. Thorkel analyzing Dr. Bullfinch

Despite some cheesy acting, the movie is very fun. The large props of Dr. Thorkels hands are a great asset. It also makes use of rear and front screen projection effects, a very innovative process used in King Kong. You will notice this technique in scenes where the shrunken people are standing before a gigantic Dr. Thorkel. Not bad for 1940 and no computers to do all the work for them! It shows a true commitment to the craft. What I wouldn’t give for one of those giant hands as a Halloween decoration in front of my house!

Does anyone else completely love the sound of classic films? The underlining soft tone throughout the films with little pops and crackles here in there are so cool. It accents the eeriness of the movies. I really love that.

Thorkel is a great character and the driving force for the entire film. He’s played by Albert Dekker and he works the role perfectly. Thorkel isn’t necessarily crazy, just obsessed with the progression of his research. Much like Dr. Frankenstein, he’s not aware that he has pushed scientific experiments too far. Or the boundaries or ethics he’s breaking as well. During this time period of horror films, the mad scientist was an extremely popular theme. I think that’s because the world was scared of the things like radiation and nuclear testing. It only makes sense that Hollywood tap into the fears of culture. Science was (and still is) a popular theme in horror films and it is still today. I hate these films but Human Centipede is a good example of that same theme. The crazy doctor conducting terrible experiments and breaking all codes of conduct to do so.

Thorkel working his machine

One thing that sticks out with Dt. Thorkel are his eye glasses. The guy suffers from miserable eyesight and he wears these insanely thick framed spectacles.  Without them he’s practically blind. The glasses are also the main object behind the title of the film. The thing about the title is that there really is no “Dr. Cyclops.”. At one point the little people destroy his glasses in order to blind him. They manage to destroy all but one of the lenses. Leaving Thorkel to use just one eye, thus making him Dr Cyclops. I don’t know who thought of the title. I suppose the term “cyclops” instills fear and sounds better on a poster. However, it may allude to a much grande meaning.

Or maybe!

Cyclops represents who Thorkel was all along. A man with only one lane of vision, not being able to see the world beyond one point of view. This singular vision turns him into a power hungry titan that will kill to reach his goals. Thorkel losing his use of one eye is just a metaphor for who he truly is. His lack of “vision” leaves him a danger to himself and anyone he knows. This is a good question for us all. Do we have traces of Dr. Cyclops in all of us? Is something narrowing our vision to the truth, slowly turning us mad? Wow, that’s some deep thinking right there.

Oh well, whatever the reason for us all, Dr. Cyclops is a favorite classic film of mine and I am proud to include it in my list.

The golden age of horror is a time period of that began in the 30’s and ended in the late 40’s. These movies primarily made their mark with the use of sound. Many people are familiar with the Universal Monster films like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman and The Creature From The Black Lagoon. It is the first of the movements of horror after the “Silent Era.”

  HMM 2017 Day 6 - Today we're going back to the golden age of horror with Dr. Cyclops! For dad! Three scientist travel deep into the Amazonian jungle to meet a Dr. Thorkel. Little do they know that this madman will do anything to pursue his scientific breakthrough.

[mikethefanboy]

Shirley Review! JM says, "Elisabeth Moss magnificently dominates the screen in a towering tour-de-force performance."

Shirley Review! JM says, “Elisabeth Moss magnificently dominates the screen in a towering tour-de-force performance.”

  The tale of Elisabeth Moss’ magnificent year proves she’s no longer invisible and a serious awards contender requiring your immediate attention. “Shirley” is a terrific, transfixing thriller destined to be a timeless auteur masterpiece.

Shirley Jackson’s (Elisabeth Moss) unique, unorthodox writing abilities have haunted horror readers with her stunning storytelling for years. On the precipice…

[wolffianworks]

The Curse of the Cat People A HAUNTING FABLE FOR CHRISTMAS

The Curse of the Cat People A HAUNTING FABLE FOR CHRISTMAS

The Curse of the Cat People- A HAUNTING FABLE FOR CHRISTMAS

Today I talk about In the early 1940’s rko was suffering a big failure following citizen Kane and other movies leaving the studio in ruins. it turned to its low budget b pictures . Val Lewton was the man put in charge of producing these flims with titles given to him by the studio so came up with movies ideas as he found ways to make…

[universehall]

Movie Shelf Mini-Review: The Mummy’s Tomb (1942)

Movie Shelf Mini-Review: The Mummy’s Tomb (1942)

Remember The Mummy’s Hand (1940), which stunk on ice? Well, this one is better!

Plot: It’s twenty years after the last Mummy movie (even though, in reality, it was two years after the last Mummy movie). Some guy brings the Mummy back in order to get revenge on the people who disturbed the Mummy THE LAST TIME. The Mummy gets revenge (sort of).

There are improvements RIGHT OFF THE BAT. First off —…

[mybookplacenet]

Featured Post: Dorchadas House by Emmanuelle de Maupassant

Featured Post: Dorchadas House by Emmanuelle de Maupassant

About Dorchadas House:

A dilapidated manor on a remote Scottish isle. An old maze, concealing something even older. Strange dreams and awakening desires.

“Even on that first night, I dreamt. A presence, in the darkness.”

Yearning for new surrounds, Iris Muir accepts a position at historic Dorchadas House, on the remote Scottish island of Eirig. Attracted to the wild landscape, Iris hopes to…

[moviesandmania]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse - animated Tom and Jerry short, USA, 1947

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse – animated Tom and Jerry short, USA, 1947

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse is a 1947 American one-reel MGM animated cartoon and is the 30th Tom and Jerry short. The cartoon was released on 14 June 1947, and was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera produced by Fred Quimby and animated by Ed Barge, Michael Lah, Kenneth Muse and Al Grandmain. The episode is a parody of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Hanna Barbera also created Scooby-Doo, Where…

[stiggygoreblog]

Year: 1943 Director: James P Hogan. Cast: George Zucco, Evelyn Ankers, David Bruce, Turhan Bey Themes: Zombies, Manipulation, Grave Robbing, Sci-fi horror, Mad Doctors

At first glance, it would be easy to dismiss Universal Pictures The Mad Ghoul as just another quota quickie to explode out the studio cannon. Universal, who played such a massive part in establishing the genre during their golden years, had mainly resorted to sequels and mash up features during the war years, but in amongst the well-known iconic monsters, there were a few wild cards popping up here and there. The Mad Ghoul being one such feature, a blend of sci-fi and horror infused with aspects that rehash themes from a number of sources to produce something of a curiosity. Director James Patrick Hogan – although prolific- , only seems to have made one horror film, this, his last picture for the studio. It comes with a sad resonance that the director died of a heart attack the year this was made, (aged only 53). Although the film feels slightly pedestrian at times, there is a certain flair for establishing an atmosphere to be found, especially in some of the more macabre scenes. While not as well-known as the studio’s genre defining epics, The Mad Ghoul does have a lot to offer to fans of early genre features- now out to own on DVD courtesy of Odeon Entertainment in a restored version, this is the perfect film to while away a cosy afternoon.

Scriptwriters Paul Gangelin and Brenda Weisberg use a number of themes in this engaging little story to weave their tangled tale of love, obsession, power and control. The first underlying theme aligns with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in an in- direct way, with mad scientist Dr. Alfred Morris (George Zucco) who is experimenting with an ancient nerve gas used by the Mayans. Resident monkey Choco falls foul of the gas, and dies, but Dr. Morris with the aid of his assistant- medical student- Ted Allison (David Bruce), is able to resurrect the unfortunate primate by giving him the blood taken from a heart- so far, so good. Choco is restored back to health- or so they think- and Ted can go back to worrying about the apple of his eye, Isabel (Evelyn Ankers). Isabel, Ted’s girlfriend, is a singer who is about to embark on tour and Ted is anxious she knows his feelings before she departs. Sadly this isn’t going to happen though, and when Ted gets a face-full of the noxious gas, he too becomes a victim of its effects. In order to be restored to health, Dr. Morris must feed Ted the blood from human hearts, and this involves various trips to graveyards to dig up the recently deceased. While under the influence, the medical student becomes like a zombie, and the doctor is easily able to control his actions through commands- influence number two, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)- with the character of Ted showing a likeness to somnambulist Cesare from the aforementioned picture. What is curious about the way in which the plot is constructed are the foundations are built on a thread that follows the theme of obsessional love- Ted is not the only person who has set his sights on Isabel. This essentially turns a gruesome and macabre narrative into something of a four sided love triangle when fourth wheel Eric (Turhan Bey) is introduced, making the feature slightly more multi-dimensional than first apparent.

The plot jogs along at a brisk pace and although not remotely graphic certain sensationalist language is used to convey grim elements to the audience. The introduction of a police/reporter angle allows for various discussions to occur surrounding what the papers dub as ‘the mad ghoul,’ with secondary characters speculating over why this villain is going around desecrating graves and stealing human hearts. On paper it all sounds pretty morbid, with the undertones focusing on dark elements, however the acting all round is fairly light-hearted and comes with that air of innocence that will often be found in older pictures of this nature. George Zucco as Dr. Morris stands out as a fairly sinister force, manipulating those around him- much to Ted’s detriment- to get what he really wants. Zucco manages to portray a menacing character, despite his physical appearance, whose threat comes from his ability to hoodwink those around him into bending to his will. His mock concern masks his true murderous intentions, and the actor does a great job at putting in a convincing performance. Evelyn Ankers steps in as love interest Isabel, and provides some retro glamour- although, for such a major player in the overall scheme of things, she gets very little screen time. David Bruce as Ted manages to extract sympathy toward his character being a victim of circumstance, the actor playing his part successfully manages to garner audience support as a well-meaning hero. Although action is moderately applied, what makes the film is the dynamic between the various characters, each one caught up in events that are out of their control with the selfish Dr. Morris pulling the strings and convincing everyone he is only acting in their best interests.

The production is fairly sparse, but given this was made in the war years, it is to be expected. There are little in the way of special effects, and the zombie make-up is basic. Sets are limited to few locations, which asserts a static, almost made for the stage feeling over the entire piece as a whole. When the film does strike its high notes, they come in the form of the creepy graveyard scenes. Director James P Hogan and cinematographer Milton R Krasner (who later went on to win Academy award for his work on Three Coins in the Fountain (1955)) make the best of what they have and summon a wonderfully eerie aura in these moments. The closing scenes especially hold a lasting impression, ending on a downbeat, but nevertheless victorious note.

This release by Odeon is a great restoration, given the status of The Mad Ghoul as a lesser known chapter in the huge history of Universal’s genre output. The print does demonstrate its age at times with dust present, but in my opinion this adds to the charm- this is a very old film, and personally I like to be reminded of that- making everything too clean and shiny often undermines the tone. Regardless of this the picture is clear, nicely detailed and well contrasted.

Out now on DVD, check out the Odeon Entertainment official website here for more details.

The Mad Ghoul (1943) (UK DVD review). Year: 1943 Director: James P Hogan. Cast: George Zucco, Evelyn Ankers, David Bruce, Turhan Bey Themes: …

[universehall]

Movie Shelf Mini-Review: The Mummy's Hand (1940)

Movie Shelf Mini-Review: The Mummy’s Hand (1940)

I’ve decided to introduce this “mini review” format because sometimes there just isn’t a lot to say about a movie… but I still need to tell you not to watch it.

Plot: An evil guy (George Zucco) promises that he’ll help to keep the Mummy alive. Two men (one irritating, one boring) decide they know where an Egyptian Princess is buried. The vague evil guy vaguely interferes.

The Mummy’s Hand—…

[wolffianworks]

 Val Lewton:Shadows And Suspense

 Val Lewton:Shadows And Suspense

Today i talk about  In the early 1940’s rko was suffering a big failure following citizen kane and other movies leaving the studio in ruins. it turned to its low budget b pictures . Val Lewton was the man put in charge of producing these flims with titles given to him by the studio. He found ways to make these movies into horror classics. Cat people was a huge hit so he was given free reign to…

[wolffianworks]

Five HALLOWEEN classic Movies that are treats to watch 

FIve HALLOWEEN classic Movies that are treats to watch Many people have beloved horror classics they love such as nightmare on elm street and the many universal horror movies and the very well loved horror classics as Its a vastly wide wide world of horror classics you are overlooking by watching them often as today i talk about horror classics many do not watch as often as the beloved classics…

[wolffianworks]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

https://www.facebook.com/Wolffianclassicmoviesdigest So today I talk about Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for The 3rd Wonderful Ingrid Bergman Blogathon! a classic MGM horror movie that remains timeless today.  I hope you check out other posts form the The 3rd Wonderful Ingrid Bergman Blogathon! hosted by my dear friend  frorm The Wonderful World of Cinema known as Virginie Pronovost. Thanks to the…

[wolffianworks]

women-in-peril golden age classics 

https://www.facebook.com/Wolffianclassicmoviesdigest damsel in distress or persecuted maiden is a classic theme in world literature,art,film and video games. The trope involves a beautiful or innocent woman placed in danger by a villain or monster that requires a knight or hero to rescue her. In movies it has become common trope in storytelling. The golden age of movies turned this trope into a…

[moviesandmania]

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse is a 1947 American one-reel MGM animated cartoon and is the 30th Tom and Jerry short. The cartoon was released on 14 June 1947, and was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera produced by Fred Quimby and animated by Ed Barge, Michael Lah, Kenneth Muse and Al Grandmain. The episode is a parody of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Hanna Barbera also created Scooby-Doo, Where…

[moviesandmania]

Valley of the Zombies (film)

Valley of the Zombies (film)

‘Blood madness… out of the fog… into your heart!’

Valley of the Zombies is a 1946 American horror film directed by Philip Ford for Republic Pictures from a screenplay by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. It stars Robert Livingston, Lorna Gray (The Man They Could Not Hang), Ian Keith (The Phantom of Paris; Fog Island), Thomas E. Jackson, Charles Trowbridge (The Mummy’s Hand), Earle…