(If you arrived here via a search engine or other means and are not seeing a "frames" design please click HERE to enter the frames version of Mannie's Halloween Page - without the frames you're not seeing all we have to offer!)
- Monster Movie Classics Page -
While I don't want to clutter "Mannie's Halloween Page(s)" with too much useless stuff I thought a page dedicated to Horror Movies would be appropriate. Moreover, so many of you have "best of" and "greatest" lists that I have learned from maybe I will add a few favorites to some of yours.
(Opinions on this page, unless otherwise stated, are entirely mine and mine alone - Mannie)
visit IMDB if you want movie trivia
LAST UPDATED 4 Aug 2006
Monster Movies Top List
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Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis
Links Download clip HERE See Roger Ebert's Review HERE Buy HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: Quite simply the best modern horror movie, no if's, and's or but's!!!! Many films have tried (unsuccessfully) to repeat what Halloween accomplished but almost all rely on cheap sight gags and have no real atmosphere. Halloween is good cinema. Dean Cundey's photography is amazing. The scares of the film are set almost entirely by carpenter's score and Cundey's filming. Low on GORE, high on CHILLS. Check out my Halloween Homage pumpkins (1, 2, 3).
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D, Robert Wise Julie Harris, Claire Bloom
Based on The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (see Mannie's thoughts on the book in the Comments section)
Links Download clip HERE See Reviews HERE Buy new DVD release
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Mannie's Comments: If you want your horror spoon-fed to you and all your scares have to be sight gags (as has become common place in recent horror flicks), this IS DEFINITELY NOT the movie for you. The Haunting is great cinema. Filmed in B/W - which does great things to the mood of the movie - and almost entirely without obvious scares. The Haunting's ability to deliver goose bumps comes from the expert visual flair delivered by Robert Wise, as well as solid ensemble acting. Whereas John Carpenter was a newbie, having just released the indy Assault on Precinct 13 (the original not the watered-remake) when he made Halloween, Wise was a critically acclaimed and accomplished director (The Day The Earth Stood Still, Run Silent Run Deep & West Side Story) when he made The Haunting. Wise's abilities come through loud and clear. This movie never fails to give me the shivers when I watch it. Mannie's Book-Movie Comparison: Wise's film (based on Nelson Gidding's screenplay - Gidding also scripted Wise's The Andromeda Strain & The Hindenburg) remains faithful to the basic story set forth in Jackson's book. However, like most movies,The Haunting, is not a direct translation of the text to film. The first third or so of the book is quite well represented. however, it would seem for pacing reasons that Gidding constricted the "action" of the middle portion of the book, and for simplicity of character's condensed two characters from the last third of the book (the wife of Dr. Montague [book]/Dr. Markway [film] & her friend Arthur) into one (Markway's wife). The latter change results in a different final act of the movie as compared to the book and leads to the only "overt" scare of the film (which is not present in the book). Otherwise, I believe Wise has brought to screen a creepy rendition of Jackson's book, at least equal in its ability to scare as this classic piece of literature. Check out a review of the DVD-Version
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The Thing From Another World (1951) D, Christian Nyby kenneth Tobey, James Arness (yes, Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke!)
Based on the Novelette, Who Goes There?, by John W. Campbell
Links Download clip HERE Famous closing sound CLIP See Reviews HERE Buy the 50th Anniversary DVD release HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: I dig this movie out whenever I just want a good 50's chill. The Thing From Another World bridges the Sci-Fi/Horror genre's and I need to say up front is not particularly "scary". Yet, this movie is really a lot of fun. It's shot in B/W, which like with The Haunting, adds to the feel of the movie. You feel cold when the group is checking out the "mysteriously radioactive" site near Alaska. Certainly more than a touch of 50's "Red Scare" in this film, but it doesn't deter from the fine plot. As 50's Sci-fi/horror go The Thing is extremely well scripted, directed, filmed and acted. John Carpenter's remake is also a great movie but for different reasons I would place it almost entirely in the Sci-fi-Gore category. Check out a review of the 50th Anniversary DVD-Version
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The Wolf Man (1941) D, George Waggner Claude Rains, Lon Chaney Jr, Evelyn Ankers
Links Download clip HERE Buy HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: My favorite of the Universal BIG 4 (Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolf Man). Made ten years after the other three, The Wolf Man exhibits a higher production value. Like The Bride of Frankenstein, the Wolf Man has a splendid score. Dracula and Frankenstein suffer, in my opinion, by comparison from a minimalist score. Watch the new DVD release of the 1931 Dracula with the new score by Phillip Glass (played by the Kronos Quartet) and see/hear the difference. Mood, Mood, Mood - The Wolf Man has it. I also think the acting in The Wolf Man is in general quite good in comparison to other Universal Horror films of the time. Sure, the Wolf Man, isn't particularly scary to viewers in the 21st Century, but taken for what it was in 1941, it's a COOL movie! The DVD version has some cool extra's: Documentary (really good), theatrical trailer, theatre posters and original art, and feature commentary. Worth the money to check out the Legacy Collection.
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M (1931) D, Fritz Lang
Links Download clip HERE (the portion Lorre wistles as he finds his 'victims' is the last act near the end, ~6:03 into the piece) See reviews HERE Buy HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: This is one seriously disturbing movie. Fritz Lang created several masterpieces (e.g.,Metropolis) in his career, but M is unique. This was Lang's first "talkie" and to be honest the dialog means little to your ears if you're watching M and can't speak/understand German (you can read English subtitles - very well done in the recent criterion release on DVD). Yet the "talkie" nature of M is critical when Lorre's character whistle's chords from Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt before each chilling moment. I found this use of a simple repeated musically element to be one of the most effective I have ever heard in a film. If you don't like subtitles M won't be your cup of tea, but if they don't bother you then check this movie out. You'll have chills for a while I promise!
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The Mummy - The Legacy Collection (1932-1944) D, Karl Freund (and others) Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Lon Chaney Jr. (to name a few)
Links
Download clip HERE See reviews
Buy HERE |
Mannie's Comments: The Mummy (1932) -- This flick has mood, lots of it. Director Karl Freund's background in the German Impressionistic-style of the 20-30's played a big role in the cinematic quality of The Mummy . The visual approach of The Mummy shows what Dracula (D, Tod Browning) could have been if Freund (who was the director of photography) had been given more free reign. The Mummy capitalized on the American fascination with ancient Egypt brought on by the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun 's tomb. The story line of The Mummy was certainly enhanced by the real-life belief in a curse of Tutankhamun. One should view The Mummy today with this in mind - it certainly helps to provide considerable chill. Modern audiences are quite desensitized to horror and ancient Egypt provides much less lure today than it did in the 1930's. The standouts in The Mummy are the sets and Karloff. The set designs are wonderful; one feels they are in 1920-30's Egypt. The Mummy sequels suffer tremendously by comparison in this regard. Boris Karloff had already established himself as one of Universal's horror stars (Frankenstein, 1931 - download a clip HERE; Old Dark House, 1932) and certainly proves himself adept again. Although he is only seen as 'the mummy' (Im-ho-tep) for a short period early in the film - and even then not fully, Jack Pierce's make-up is classic - no iconic. Even as the living mummy, Ardath Bey, Karloff is visually creepy, his face and hands appearing wrinkled and desiccated. As was common for Karloff he plays 'the mummy' in a restrained manner, bringing both fear and empathy from the viewer towards his characterization. The remaining cast is less impressive. Probably the weakest performance is that of Zita Johann (the female lead); hers is a performance typical of that of female leads of the time - over the top and stiff. The film historians that comment on her performance in original Universal documentary Mummy Dearest that accompanies the Legacy Collection give her much higher marks. I however do not feel that she complements Karloff's performance; where he delivers chills, she diminishes them by 'acting' (as the Jon Lovitz thespian character would say on SNL). A solid performance is provided by David Manners as the supporting male, while the performance of Edward Van Sloan as the 'educated' protagonist to Ardath Bey is a lackluster and cookie-cutter version of his performance as Prof. Van Helsing from Dracula (1931). The remaining supporting cast do not deliver real memorable performances. Karloff dwarfs all in this cast, without him The Mummy would have been relegated to a simple novelty of period of Hollywood's 'gory days'. Despite the criticisms of the acting, the story, sets, Karloff and cinematography prove substantial and The Mummy is a solid 4 star movie (5 stars if one is able to completely place oneself in the mindset of a 1932 viewer!) and certainly the BEST of the Mummy movies from Universal's golden age of horror. The Mummy's Hand (1940) -- Not a sequel in a traditional sense as the story is almost completely unrelated to 1932's The Mummy , The Mummy's Hand is a solid follow-up with its own fair share of creepiness. Where The Mummy was a simple horror story filmed and acted (mostly by Boris Karloff) as a horror story, The Mummy's Hand is a more tongue-and-cheek horror; not all out camp but comedic at times. Although no performance comes close to that of Karloff's in The Mummy , the cast performance of The Mummy's Hand is by far more balanced and solid than that of The Mummy . This does a lot to boost a weaker story and less convincing sets (see more below). The Mummy's Hand begins a four-movie run of essentially the same story: Ancient love (only similar theme to the 1932 film) transcending time and protected by an eventually jealous third party. From The Mummy's Hand onward, the mummy is not Ih-ho-tep, but Kharis. His lost love is not Princess Anckesen-Amon , but the Princess Ananka. While the Ananka character remains essentially the same (and minor) in each of the three following Mummy movies, the Kharis character is first presented as a non-royal lover of Ananka, buried alive for his inappropriate love. In later films Karis mysteriously evolves into a Prince and the reasons for his living-mummification become obscured. Add to this dead-lovers mix an Egyptian High Priest (played by George Zucco in The Mummy's Hand ) and one henchman/underling-priest. In each of the four post-1932 films responsibility of the High Priesthood is handed down by a dying High Priest to his #1 with much pomp, including a long speech by the new High Priest accepting his responsibility with the recognition that failure will result in a horrible death curse . It is the responsibility of the High Priest to maintain Kharis in a barely living state by "giving him the fluid from three leaves from the ancient tana plant each night of the full moon". Should anyone disturb the tomb of Ananka the High Priest was to give Kharis "the fluid from six tana leaves to allow life and motion" such that the mummy can kill all those who have defiled the tomb. Of course revival of Kharis to motion results in re-activation of his love for Ananka, revival of Ananka in the personage of the lead female actress who is always of Egyptian heritage and somehow psychically-connected to the Princesses soul. In the last act the High Priest inevitably falls in love with the reincarnated Ananka, bringing upon himself the curse of "a horrible death". This general sequence is essentially repeated in each of Universal's 'sequels' to the 1932 movie. In The Mummy's Hand , Kharis is aptly played as the stereotypical lumbering, leg-dragging mummy by western actor Tom Tyler. In contrast to Karloff's performance, Tyler remains a 'mummy' for the entire film. Again Jack Pierce's make-up does much to create a creepy feel. Added to this is a post-production special effect by which Tylers eyes were blackened to make his eye sockets appear empty. While certainly not a perfect effect, this is a creepy visual. Aside from Pierce's make-up, the visuals in The Mummy's Hand are quite disappointing. First, the mountain entrance to the High Priest's temple looks more like an Inca ruins than an Egyptian relic. The temple itself also has a 'south of the border feel'. The dig site is SO obviously an internal set that one will snicker and think Ed Wood wasn't that bad after all! These problems greatly dampen the seriousness with which the viewer can take The Mummy's Hand . Yet the oft comedic interchanges between the Steve Banning (played by Dick Foran) and Babe Jenson (played by Wallace Ford) characters make the aforementioned problems seem in place. All in all this is a fun little movie, not as 'classic' as The Mummy but a decent 3.5 star effort. The Mummy's Tomb (1942) -- In the third Universal Mummy outing Dick Foran and Wallace Ford reprise there roles as Banning and 'Babe' (although Hanson instead of Jenson this time - huh?), but with 30 years added to their ages. In The Mummy's Tomb the general plot scheme of The Mummy's Hand is rehashed but in this case the new High Priest (played quite well by someone who actually looks Middle Eastern) is given the task of taking Kharis - now, and thereafter, played by Lon Chaney Jr - to American to kill the Banning archeology party and all those associated with it. Thus the Mummy series moves west - this saves considerably on costs for sets as one only needs contemporary American village sets (in The Mummy's Tomb , Banning resides in New England ) and Universal recycled scenes (directly) from The Mummy's Hand such that nearly ALL Egyptian action comes from the previous movie. Not much new in this Mummy movie except locale. The acting is acceptable but not stellar. The Mummy's Tomb (and all subsequent Mummy movies) has a bit of American Western feel, both in set designs and cast actions. The latter is illustrated by the use of posse-vigilantly gangs to chase down the killer (Kharis). I found little in this movie to applaud loudly although this is not to say it is horrible. Taken for what it is - low budget 40's, WWII, Universal horror, it's a 3 star movie worth watching if you're interested in the genre. The Mummy's Ghost (1944) -- Ahhhh...continuance of the same old story line. This time the High Priest (enjoyably played by John Carradine) is charged with going to recover both Kharis and the mummy of the Princess Ananka from America and return them to Egypt and their eternal resting place. Otherwise, same ol', same ol'. Again set mostly in New England, although this time the Banning village is surrounded by more thicket and swamp, the sets are simple and generally uninventive. Chaney is solid ass the lumbering Kharis although he seemed to have gained better mobility from Tomb to Ghost . Although having an 'immobile' arm in Tomb, Kharis appears to be able to gain use that arm when necessary (e.g., carrying away the heroine). Plot contrivances and continuity flaws such as this really lend a hand in dragging down The Mummy's Ghost . Add to these problems the use of photographic filtering techniques to produce 'night sequences', that were in reality filmed during daylight hours (one need not look far to see the strong shadows cast by all object, animate and not!) and one gets a really cheap production value. Certainly other Universal films of the same period (e.g., The Wolf Man ) were not nearly as shabby and had no greater budgets. What if any redeeming qualities exist for Ghost ? Acting; namely that of John Carradine, who gives a very solid performance and holds the show, much like Karloff did in The Mummy . Casting Carradine as an Egyptian is a bit like casting Charlton Heston as a Mexican (see Orsen Wells' Touch of Evil ), but Carradine, like Heston later, somehow pulls it off. Aside from Carradine the cast is lackluster but compotent. Look for Barton MacLane as the inspector - he played a detective in Bogart's classic The Maltese Falcon. In the end, Carradine's performance can only pull The Mummy's Ghost up to a 2.5 star movie. The Mummy's Curse (1944) -- Same year, same story - kind of. The Mummy's Curse picks up where The Mummy's Ghost left off. A new High Priest is appointed to go to American and do the job that Carradine's character failed at (because of the inevitable lust for Ananka and subsequent curse of a 'horrible death'); namely bring Kharis and Ananka back to Egypt. Not much new here, with exception of some pretty weird story faults. Most clear of these is the fact that Banning's little New England village swap where Kharis and a resurrected Ananka receded into at the end of Ghost has been transported to the Bayou's of LA! Curse thus has Cajun mobs after Kharis rather than proper New England gentlemen and farmers. For whatever reason this time around no efforts were made to disguise daylight as darkness and much of the action takes place in full sunlight although the people of this sleepy little town aren't particularly bright lights as they seem to miss the mummy on almost all occasions. Chaney's Kharis is physically a bit schizophrenic in Curse , vacillating between the stereotypical lumbering movement to quite limber and agile movements. Apparently mummy's 'evolve' quickly once they get enough tana extract. The acting in Curse is by far the WORST of any of the Mummy movies. The lead actor is downright horrid! The only truly creepy part of The Mummy's Curse is the resurrection of Ananka from the mud of the Bayou; although even this is a bit campy and overacted. All in all Curse is the proper prequel to any mummy outing with Abbott and Costello (Meet the Mummy, 1955), which was the fate of all great horror figures at Universal once the 50's rolled around. No more than 1.5 stars for The Mummy's Curse.
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Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins
Links Download clip HERE See reviews HERE Buy HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: coming soon...
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Night of the Living Dead (1968) Judith O'Dea, Duane Jones
Links Download clip HERE See reviews HERE Buy B/W & Colorized combo DVD HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: Horror meets social commentary. This is a classic and really the grand-daddy of the modern zombie movies. Night is the most serious of the Romero Quartet (Night, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead & Land of the Dead). Night, like Wise's The Haunting, is shot in B/W, and this adds dramatically to the feel of the film. Compare it to Dawn and it's clear which one is more cinematically creative. Well scripted and acted, Night is a must see during the Halloween season. The end sequence is the most disturbing - not gore-filled or scary, but disturbing - in the way the end of American History X is disturbing (racial prejudice being at the heart of both!). If you want a more "fun" zombie movie I suggest Dawn of the Dead (see below) - some really hilarious social commentaries on consumer America, or try the more recent and splendid homage to the living dead movies, Shaun of the Dead! Review of the Colorized DVD - HERE (I tend to agree that the colorized version suffers) Review of the original B/W version - HERE (which is also present (restored) on the DVD I've linked to above. I tend to think this latter review is more "accurate" - you judge)
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Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross
Links Download clip HERE See reviews HERE Buy HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: Dawn of the Dead represents a less serious but more bloody foray in George Romero's "dead Quartet ". Whereas Night is more atmospheric and heavy on racial & sexual prejudices of the 60's, Dawn takes itself much less seriously. Yet, on it's own Dawn is a really fun flick - one the earliest examples of American Gore (A La Tom Savini). The fact that the main characters hole up in a mall and the dead wander to the mall because "they had a strong connection to the place in life" is hilarious. Romero has oft commented that he injected a lot of humor into Dawn and I would say that comes through. Not terribly scary but a fun Halloween season movie - a real classic.
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D, Edgar Wright Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield
Links Download clip HERE See reviews HERE Buy HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: Coming Soon...
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The Shining (1980) Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers
Links Download clip HERE See reviews HERE Buy HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: Coming soon...
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The Exorcist (1973) Max Von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller, Linda Blair
Based on the book, The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty
Links Download clip HERE See Reviews HERE Buy HERE |
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Mannie's Comments: Well what can I say, as a former Catholic this movie certainly does its job creeping me out! Of the Christian-Demon/Devil struggle films The Exorcist is quite effective. Solid acting and a great story (albeit poor script at times) mix to deliver some significant scares. Like was the case with Halloween and M, the score does a lot to enhance the mood of the movie. Most effective is one scene of a flashing "face"...I get goose-bumps just thinking about it. If you enjoy this movie check out my Exorcist pumpkins (1, 2) and my Web Site Award (you can win) in tribute to 'the face'.
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