VERONICA LAKE'S SWAN SONG TO THE CINEMA: FLESH FEAST (1970)

 

I remember the first time I saw Veronica Lake.

It was in a 1943 Paramount picture called SO PROUDLY WE HAIL. The story, based on true incidents, was about a group of Army nurses serving the troops in the Philippines during World War 2. Miss Lake was third-billed after Claudette Colbert and Paulette Goddard. Her character, Olivia Darcy, joined the nurses' team after surviving an attack on a war ship. Olivia was aggressive and unfriendly to the other women. After a violent argument with two of them, Olivia breaks down and confesses to the head nurse, played by Colbert, the reason for her behavior. Her fiancée was killed by the Japanese, and Olivia is determined to kill as many Japs as she can get her hands on. After unburdening herself, she begins to soften towards her fellow nurses and her bitterness begins to fade. 

When the troop of nurses is under attack by Japanese forces and about to be taken prisoner, Olivia valiantly sacrifices herself to save the other women by hiding a hand grenade under her clothes and walking towards the Japanese soldiers while feigning surrender. The explosion gives her colleagues the opportunity to get away. 

This emotional scene is one of the dramatic highlights of the movie and Lake plays it perfectly. But it isn't just her fine acting that makes it memorable; there is also an important change in her physical appearance. Up to this point, Olivia has been wearing her blonde hair in braids that wrap around her head. But when she goes out to entice the Japanese soldiers, she pulls her hair loose and it falls languidly around her face, all the way to her shoulders. And there is a lock of hair nearly covering her right eye. She is a true vision of beauty. I didn't know it at the time, but this actress's hairstyle was already an icon of 1940s cinema. Veronica Lake, as I would soon learn after more afternoons spent watching old movies on the Early Show, was a major Hollywood star by the time she got around to blowing herself up with a hand grenade in 1943. 

 

Lake's star rose high and hot in the early 1940s: I WANTED WINGS (1941), SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1942), and two excellent Film Noirs with Alan Ladd, THIS GUN FOR HIRE and THE GLASS KEY, both in 1942, made her one of Paramount's most popular actresses. Lake was very talented, but it was partly her famous hairstyle that made her a sensation with moviegoers. In fact, so many women tried to imitate her peek-a-boo look that it caused a national crisis. There were so many accidents in factories with women getting their hair caught in machinery that the US government asked Miss Lake to start wearing her hair in a safer, tied back manner. This change, and a series of less suitable films as the war years pressed on, caused Lake's star to dim somewhat. However, she eventually reteamed with Alan Ladd for another classic Film Noir, THE BLUE DAHLIA in 1946. By this time, the war was over, and Veronica was once again allowed to unleash her blonde mane to its full effect.

The Hour Before Dawn (1944)

Due to a combination of personal and professional difficulties, and a gradual decline in her popularity, Lake's tenure at Paramount was over by the end of the 1940s. She made two more pictures for other studios and then spent most of the ensuing years working on television and in the theater. Her life after movie stardom is chronicled in Veronica: The Autobiography of Veronica Lake, published in 1969, and a tumultuous life it was. Suffice it to say that the personal and professional problems she had during her Hollywood years continued to afflict her. Lake had been largely out of the public eye when she was found working as a waitress in a hotel bar in 1963. The outpouring of support and interest brought a kind of resurgence in her acting career. She made a low-budget Canadian film in 1966 called FOOTSTEPS IN THE SNOW. This film, which also features American actress Meredith MacRae and Canadian actor Paul Kastner (YOU'RE A BIG BOY NOW), was never released in the United States. It can be seen on Youtube, in German with no English subtitles. 

In 1970, using the proceeds from her successful autobiography, Veronica Lake co-produced and starred in her last movie, FLESH FEAST, a low-budget horror film directed by Brad F. Grinter for Viking International Pictures. Lake plays Dr. Elaine Frederick, a plastic surgeon with a rather unique method for altering someone's appearance. She uses a breed of flesh-eating maggots to eat away the skin. Yes, I said maggots. The good doctor gets involved with a gang of South American revolutionaries who want her to change the face of their "Commander". It turns out that the Commander is actually the one and only Adolph Hitler, who has been hiding out in South America since WW2. But Dr. Frederick has an agenda of her own. Her mother had been in a German concentration camp and used as a guinea pig in hideous experiments involving maggots. The doctor is determined to avenge her mother by inflicting the same fate on Hitler. When the doctor gets Der Fuehrer strapped down in her laboratory, she covers his face with the maggots, laughing maniacally as he is tortured. As he screams in agony, Dr. Frederick raises her arm in a Nazi salute and says "Heil Hitler!!!"

The plot also involves some investigative reporters infiltrating the operation to find out who the Commander is and what the revolutionaries are planning. And there are some romantic scenes between vapid characters played by equally vapid actors. The working title of the film was TIME IS TERROR, and it was not yet fully edited by the publication of Lake's book. Here's what she had to say about the final stage of her movie career:

"Someday soon, perhaps on your local television station during their daily horror film show, you'll be able to see my two latest films. Fortunately, I did not have to return to Hollywood to make these films. They were produced in Canada and Florida, and, in vogue with today's trend of putting older stars in horror movies, both these efforts are designed to turn your knuckles white, get your heart pounding and cause your girlfriend to cuddle up close in sheer terror. 

The first one was the Canadian epic. It was titled Footsteps in the Snow and deals with dope traffic and ski bums and other goodies. They paid me $10,000 for this, plus expenses. I left immediately after shooting was concluded and still have not seen an edited version. All I know is it was cold in Canada and I was happy to return to Florida.

The other film must rank as one of the great Chinese productions of all time. Its tentative title is Time is Terror.

Making movies, even low-budget ones, is an expensive and demanding chore. You'd better know what you're doing, or your low-budget job will blossom into a bankrupting one. That pretty much is what happened with Time is Terror."

According to Lake, the inept director shot over 130,000 feet of 35MM color film. But since he had failed to take enough master shots, editing the film was a huge problem. The movie was finally released as FLESH FEAST on April 8, 1970, clocking in at 72 minutes.

So, how does the legendary Veronica Lake come across in her final film? I think she is 100% professional in trying to make her character believable. She is clearly the standout element of the entire production, working with unknown actors, some of whom are also doing their best. She is stylish and attractive in many of her early scenes. In the final segment, she plays crazy quite convincingly as she laughs and slings maggots all over the place. She appears to be in control of her acting and even enjoying herself while she's doing it. You might say that she's inflicted a final blow against the villains of WW2. In SO PROUDLY WE HAIL, her character, Olivia, takes on the Japanese. In FLESH FEAST, her Dr. Frederick has defeated the Nazis.

Veronica Lake was living in England when she died on July 7, 1973, at the age of 50. Although her final screen effort was clearly unworthy of her, it takes nothing away from the excellence of her entire filmography. My advice is to check out FLESH FEAST as a curiosity item. Then rewatch THIS GUN FOR HIRE and THE GLASS KEY and immerse yourself in dreams.

This post is part of the 2nd Annual 'Favorite Stars in B Movies' Blogathon sponsored by Brian Shuck of Films From Beyond the Time Barrier. Thanks once again to Brian!!

Films From Beyond the Time Barrier

Notes From the Movie Room: April 2024

 

🎬 A while ago, I was looking up something on my Letterboxd page and I discovered that the last movie I saw in a theater was SOUND OF FREEDOM (2023) on July 6, 2023. It kind of surprised me that it had been that long. Sad to say, but it looks like my movie-going habit isn't going to make a dramatic comeback anytime soon. Even before the Covid lockdown my visits to the local theaters were becoming less frequent. Champaign's beloved independently owned Art Theater closed in October 2019, bringing on a personal existential crisis from which I have yet to emerge. And then the Covid nonsense happened and my life, like everyone else's, changed forever. Of course, my growing lack of interest in new films is a big part of the problem. I'm much happier exploring the cinema of the past.

🎬 Speaking of the past, I've been taking a non-credit film class all about silent movies. The film we watched last week was the Clara Bow classic IT (1927), a film I'd never seen. It was delightful, and also my first exposure to Miss Bow. Before the class started, one of my classmates, John, told the instructor that he hadn't liked any of the five movies that were shown so far. His reason was that he didn't see the point of examining the beginnings of the cinema when so many technical advancements were made in later decades. Now, keep in mind that this is a class for people over the age of 50. John's age is 81. You might assume that people in this age group would have an appreciation for old films. I commented to John that his mindset towards silent films was kind of like the way many young people feel about watching anything in Black & White. This prompted another classmate to say that he enjoys old B & W classics much more when they've been colorized. I was amazed by that comment. Several people in the class, John included, spoke out against the colorizing process. Fascinating discussion. Lesson learned: Never assume anything based on age.

Would IT be better in color? The eternal question.

🎬 There is a very common compulsion among us DVD/Blu-ray collectors known as "double dipping". It means we have a tendency to buy more than one copy of a film or TV show. There are various reasons for this, but most often it means upgrading from DVD to Blu-ray, or more recently, to 4K. Many of us have sworn up and down that we will NEVER develop this rather expensive habit, only to fall prey to temptation. Case in point: I recently went to Wal-Mart and was looking at their display of steel books. I'm not all that fascinated with steel books and only have a few. Most of what was available didn't interest me very much. But then I noticed one featuring the 1954 sci-fi classic THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. It was a very cool item. Nice B & W cover art, and both the 3-D and regular viewing options. All for only $27.00. However, since I already have three good DVD copies, including the Universal Legacy collections, I sensibly put the steel book back on the shelf and went on my way. The next day, having decided that I could not live without it, I went back to Wal-Mart and bought the steel book. Buyer's remorse hit me before I made it out to my car. What in the world did I need this for? Oh well, at least it was only (!!) $27.00. I've made worse decisions about money, none of which I will talk about here!

Double (actually quadruple) dipping: the steel book for THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.

THE ENDLESS (2018)

 

I've been obsessed with this film ever since I first saw it at the theater in 2018. After watching it multiple times, I'm convinced there's something, alive, something almost mystical about it. This isn't a feeling I have about many films, even the ones I love and find fascinating enough to rewatch and study. Whenever I watch THE ENDLESS, I get the disturbing feeling that something has changed, that characters are placed differently, or that locations aren't the same as they were in past viewings. Is it possible that the mysterious entity portrayed in the story has seized control of the actual movie? Or am I just losing my mind?

I'll have to watch it again, maybe ten or twenty times, before I decide.

Co-directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead star as brothers Justin and Aaron Smith. The two men were raised in a commune called Camp Arcadia, which is located in a remote wooded area in California. The commune members support themselves by making and selling beer. When Justin was a teenager, he escaped from the commune, taking his younger brother with him. He believed the commune was actually a UFO death cult and told that to the press when he escaped. Aaron, however, remembers the commune as a beautiful place with good, fresh food and people who cared about him. Ten years after leaving the commune, both young men still struggle in trying to live a "normal" life. They have trouble making friends and meeting women. Both of them are in counseling for cult deprogramming. Aaron resents the control his older brother has over his life and wishes they had never left the commune.

A video cassette tape arrives in the mail with a mysterious message. A woman from the commune appears to be saying farewell and that she and the other members are looking forward to their "ascension". Justin believes they're finally going to commit suicide. Aaron tells his brother that he wants to go back for just one night to gain closure. Justin agrees, thinking it might be good for Aaron to see the place for what it really is. Once there, the two men experience strange phenomena as they try to understand the secrets of the commune/cult. For one thing, why do the members look the same age as when the boys left ten years ago? And why are there two moons up in the sky with a third moon slowly appearing? 

To reveal any more details of the story would deprive first time viewers of some incredible surprises. Just forget everything you thought you knew about time, space, eternity, and all of that cool stuff when you sit down to watch THE ENDLESS. For that matter, forget everything you though you knew about how to make a horror film. The directors have created something totally unique: an involving, terrifying film devoid of the violence and bloodletting so common in modern horror movies.

Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead

THE ENDLESS premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017 and was released in the United States a year later. There is so much to praise here, from the believable, natural performances, to the atmospheric locations and cinematography. The special effects are brilliant, but do not overwhelm the human story. The film also makes good use of music. The folk song House of the Rising Sun is interspersed throughout. According to the filmmakers, choosing this song was an economic decision, as it's in the public domain. But the song, performed in an eerie, bluesy style by a female singer, whose identity isn't named in the credits, somehow fits perfectly into the weirdness of the film, even though the lyrics seem unconnected to the plot.

An earlier Benson-Moorehead film, RESOLUTION (2013), a brilliant mind-bender all on its own, features two characters who are involved in the mystery of THE ENDLESS. I highly recommend both of these films. In fact, it might be best to watch them as a double feature, although I can't promise you an obsession-free existence after the fact.

Benson wrote the story and Moorehead was the cinematographer. Music was by Jimmy LaValle. Also starring Callie Hernandez, Lew Temple, Tate Ellington and James Jordan. Other Benson-Moorehead feature films: SPRING (2014), SYNCHRONIC (2019) and SOMETHING IN THE DIRT (2022).

EARLY PUBLICITY FOR BARBARA STEELE

 

Full disclosure: One of my collecting obsessions is old magazines, including the movie magazines that were all over the newsstands back in the days of my lost youth, meaning the 1950s and 1960s. They had names like Modern Screen, Motion Picture, Screen Stories, and TV Radio Mirror. They all seemed to disappear at some point in the 1970s, eventually to be replaced by new publications like People Magazine and Us. They were all gossip mags for the most part, but also existed to gain publicity for new studio films and the stars who played in them. I've also managed to accumulate quite a few issues of Life Magazine and its competitor, Look. Both of these periodicals featured quite a bit of movie news and often had major stars on their covers.

As her film career was getting started, British beauty Barbara Steele was occasionally given the same kind of publicity promotion that other new, hopeful actors and actresses were given in the print media. The photo on the left, which is one of the most beautiful photos ever taken of her, appeared in the December 1, 1958 issue of Life Magazine. She had just completed a small part in her first film, BACHELOR OF HEARTS, and was being promoted by her studio, the Rank Organization. There were two other photos:

The text reads as follows:

"When all stretched out, the girl above measures five feet six inches, weighs eight-and-a-half stone and is pretty proof that, as far as potential movie stars go, England has plenty to offer. Her name is Barbara Steele, a 20-year-old Liverpudlian under contract to the Rank Organization, which feels there is cinematic gold in this provocative miss. Barbara came to London from her native Liverpool to pursue a career in art and antiques. She was painting sets for a theater when the director decided that she would look much better on than backstage. She did repertory in Brighton, a play in Glasgos and now has completed her first film, Bachelor of Hearts. To advance her promising career, she went about London recently, posing her special beauty against the background of the city. But she is happiest on Portobello Road where there is an outdoor market for antiques and junk. There, every Saturday, she sells copper jewelry and old prints from her pushcart, as shrewd a dealer as any there." 

Barbara always believed that director Mario Bava cast her in his debut film, Black Sunday (1960), after seeing this article in Life. Who knows? Certainly, the photo at the top exudes the kind of mystery he was looking for.

Barbara wasn't the only young celebrity being promoted in this issue. A rising rock and roll singer named Ricky Nelson was featured on the cover.

In the July 4, 1961 issue of Look Magazine, Barbara was featured in a lengthy article entitled Beauty Parlay, where she was shown getting her hair sprayed:

Presumably, this took place when she was in America filming The Pit and the Pendulum for director Roger Corman. The cover of this issue was graced by the new and glamorous First Lady of the United States, Jaqueline Kennedy. Interesting that these two women would both be featured in the same issue of Look, considering that film critic, Pauline Kael, in her review of Black Sunday, said that Barbara looked like "Jaqueline Kennedy in a trance".

Next, in something called Hollywood Secrets Yearbook: All-New Giant Star Directory, Miss Steele is found in the article Tomorrow's Stars: Applause, Please!. There were quite a few names and faces that might be remembered, such as Larry Pennell, Joan Freeman and Ingrid Thulin. But there were also several young hopefuls that apparently had very brief careers.

The picture used in the article is from Barbara's "blonde" period when she was under contract to 20th Century-Fox. This magazine is copyrighted in 1962, and by this time, Barbara had left Fox and was living and working in Italy. But this publicity piece claims she is still a Fox starlet. Her career did much better than the other names on this page. Brian Kelly did fairly well as an actor, and was the executive producer of Blade Runner. But this is the first I've heard of Trax Colton. (Why didn't my parents give me the name Trax Colton??? Oh, what might have been...) One wonders if Barbara and Trax ever ran into each other in the hallways at Fox. If I ever get a chance to see her at another convention, I will definitely ask her. 

In the meantime, this ancient issue of Hollywood Secrets Yearbook promises not only the latest dramatic headlines, but reveals Hollywood's only REAL he-men. 

THE STAR (1952)

 

Of all the Bette Davis pictures that I love to watch over and over again, and they are legion, THE STAR is close to the top of the list. Not only does it feature one of Miss Davis's most energetic performances, but it's also the first time she played a movie star on film. She had played a stage actress in three previous films. The first time was in DANGEROUS, for which she won her first Oscar for Best Actress of 1935. Then there was her co-starring role opposite Leslie Howard in IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER in 1937. And, of course, in 1950 she triumphed as Margo Channing in the Best Picture of 1950, ALL ABOUT EVE, which garnered Davis her eighth nomination for Best Actress. 

Bette Davis's convincing emotional portrayal of an aging, struggling Broadway actress in ALL ABOUT EVE encouraged many people to wonder how similar the onscreen Margo and the offscreen Bette might actually be, although to the end of her life she would insist that no such similarity existed. When she took on the role of aging, struggling movie actress Margaret Elliot in THE STAR, there was even more speculation that aging, struggling actress Bette Davis was telling her own story in front of the cameras.

When the film opens, Margaret Elliot is walking down a Hollywood street toward an auction house where her possessions are being sold to pay off her considerable debts. Although she had been a successful, popular Oscar-winning star, Margaret is now unable to get a picture and is running out of money. She lives in a small apartment and her daughter, Gretchen, is staying with her father. a successful actor, and stepmother in a luxurious mansion. Margaret's rent is past due, and she is threatened with eviction. She has been supporting her family for years. After a fight with her sister and brother-in-law over money, Margaret throws them out. In a fit of anger and desperation, she grabs her Academy Award and says, "Come on, Oscar. Let's you and me get drunk!" She ends up running from the police, has an accident, and is arrested for drunk driving. She spends the night in jail, but is bailed out the next morning by Jim Johanssen, a former actor who played opposite Margaret in one of her movies. 

Screen star Margaret Elliot (Bette Davis) confronts her younger self as her possessions are being sold off.

A Hollywood diva spends a night in the slammer.

When Margaret is locked out of her apartment, she goes to stay with Jim, who confesses he's always been in love with her. He tries to convince her that being through in the movie business isn't the end of her life and she should try a different kind of work. He suggests she try working in a department store as a sales lady. She tries it for one day and walks out, going straight to her agent's office. She insists that the agent find her a film role, specifically in The Fatal Winter, a story for which she once had an option. The young woman she wanted to play is now going to aspiring actress Barbara Lawrence. But Margaret is offered the role of the older sister, if she agrees to a screen test. When she arrives for the test and is made up to look old and worn out, she changes her makeup, believing that if she looks and acts like a younger woman, she might get the part of the younger sister after all. Margaret believes that one good picture will put her back on top again.

Margaret (Bette Davis) in her ill-fated screen test.

After seeing the test, Margaret realizes her mistake and is devastated. She goes to her agent's home to find rest and seclusion. But the agent has forgotten that he and his wife are hosting a large party that evening. Margaret wakes up to all the noise and activity and tries to leave the house. Her agent's wife convinces her to stay. A young writer tells Margaret that he has a perfect part for her as an aging movie star who has been living in a Hollywood fantasy world for so long that has given up her birthright: just being a woman. Margaret's eyes are opened to her own sad reality. She runs from the house, picks up her daughter, and goes back to Jim to find true fulfillment as a woman.

Well, at least that's what the film would have us believe! Who knows? Maybe it will work out. After all, Jim is being played by tall, handsome, stalwart Sterling Hayden. His function in the movie is to provide a rock-solid wall of refuge and strength for the frantic, self-absorbed screen queen to cling to when she's finally ready to accept that her career is finished. Hayden was born for roles like Jim Johanssen. The chemistry between Hayden and Davis is such that the audience can accept the possibility that movie goddess Margaret can suddenly find bliss and contentment as a housewife. By all indications, the sex will be terrific. Until it isn't. Then it's quite possible that Margaret will once again grab her Oscar and go out drinking.

Margaret goes to a department store to begin a second career as a sales lady.

Sterling Hayden and Natalie Wood

All cynicism aside, this movie is pure soap opera, so it's OK to have fun when discussing it. The fact that the conclusion of the story is more than a little hard to accept doesn't take anything away from the skilled actors doing their best to pull at your heartstrings and provide you with a satisfying ending for these likable characters. Miss Davis was impressive enough in this film to win her ninth Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Indeed, she has some powerful scenes. My favorite scene is when she is watching her screen test. She goes into the viewing room with total confidence. But when she sees how bad she is in the footage, her reaction to her own bad acting is visceral. She screams at her image: "Shut up! You don't know anything!!" Being forced to watch her terrible performance destroys her. In this scene, Davis is as commanding and gripping as she was in her greatest performances during her years as the top star at Warner Brothers.

Apart from the romantic aspects of the plot, THE STAR had a progressive style and a kind of realism that was becoming more common in the 1950s. We see Margaret working behind the counter of a department store in what appears to be an actual location. She drives drunk down a Hollywood street. She goes into a drug store and steals a bottle of perfume. At the auction house, she stands in front of a bigger-than-life portrait of herself (A George Hurrell glamour shot of Davis.) while the auctioneer says of Margaret: 

"She was your favorite movie star. You stood in line to see her latest picture. She made you laugh. She made you cry. You were secretly in love with her. Show Margaret Elliot you haven't forgotten her."

This was the era when the Hollywood star system was beginning to break down and the film industry was turning inward and becoming more critical of itself. THE STAR belongs in the same category with films like SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) and THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952). One of Davis's competitors for the Oscar in 1952 was none other than Joan Crawford in the excellent Noir SUDDEN FEAR. Supposedly, Crawford was offered the part of Margaet Elliot and turned it down. It's also believed by many that Crawford was the inspiration for the character. Authoress Charlotte Chandler, who wrote biographies of both Davis and Crawford, has said that if Davis had suspected that THE STAR was based on herself, she never would have played the role. But if she knew it was based on Crawford, she would be more than happy to play it! True story or Tinseltown gossip? Does it even matter? The speculation only adds to the fun of watching the movie.

Marital bliss or stardom? Margaret Elliot has a difficult choice to make.

A few years down the road, Sterling Hayden would try to tame Joan Crawford in Nicholas Ray's quirky Western JOHNNY GUITAR (1954). After surviving that ordeal, he took on yet another diva, Barbara Stanwyck, in CRIME OF PASSION (1957). Natalie Wood is third-billed as Margaret's daughter, Gretchen. The young lady was fourteen, and so lovely and natural, she is a joy to behold, stealing every scene she's in. Wood was one of the most talented and effective child actresses of the 1940s, although never reaching major stardom. In THE STAR, we see the promise of a career that will come a few years later when, at seventeen, she has her breakthrough role in REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955). Aspiring blonde actress Barbara Lawrence has a nice cameo playing herself.

Stuart Heisler, the director, had been a film editor since 1921 and began directing in 1936. Some of his impressive credits include THE HURRICANE (1937), AMONG THE LIVING (1941), THE GLASS KEY (1942), and STORM WARNING (1951).

SNARK 3: COMMENTARIES WITH A SOMEWHAT NEGATIVE (SNARKY) EDGE

LADY IN A CAGE (1964)

This intense, well-acted entry into the Horror Hag genre that began after the success of WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? in 1962, is without a doubt one of the most thoroughly unpleasant movies ever made. Olivia de Havilland is trapped in the elevator in her beautiful house when the power goes out. With no way to call for help, she is terrorized by a bizarre group of thieves who break in to rob her blind and then decide to kill her. Another example of the violent cynicism of the 1960s deconstruction of American culture. With James Caan, Ann Sothern, Jeff Corey, Rafael Campos, and Jennifer Billingsley.

COCKTAIL (1988)

I finally got around to watching this very popular 80s Tom Cruise flick. Not a bad way to spend a quiet, mediocre night in front of the TV. The main reason to watch it is to study all of the acting tricks Mr. Cruise has been using since his younger days to ingratiate himself with the moviegoing masses. Like all romcoms, there is an endless onslaught of pop tunes to keep the viewers entertained, distracted, and, quite possibly, awake. Elizabeth Shue functions as a living, breathing reaction to Cruise and the aforementioned acting tricks. Within those particular confines, she does an acceptable job. Bryan Brown threatens to steal the picture and almost succeeds.

MODESTY BLAISE (1966)

The only reason to appreciate this film is the chance to see Monica Vitti lighten up and have a little fun after having starred in four deadly serious films for Michaelangelo Antonioni. Despite the fact that she changes clothes for every scene and has to kill a few people, the film demands zero from her in terms of acting.

True, she is joined by a cast of talented actors (Terence Stamp, Dirk Bogarde, Rosella Falk), all of whom play their roles with tongues firmly in cheeks. And there is a lot of color, some exotic sets, and enough 1960s artistic sensibility to make you think you've died and gone to Woodstock. With all of these positive factors going for it, you might think the film would be worth watching.

You would be wrong.

It must take a lot of effort and dedication to make a movie this boring, but noted director Joseph Losey has risen to the occasion admirably. There is a plot. At least I think there is. It's best not to attempt to figure it out. Healthy minds have been known to snap while trying to make sense of stories like this one. Far better to just relax, enjoy the scenery, and gaze at Miss Vitti as you wait for the movie to finish, at which time you can berate yourself for the 119 minutes you have lost forever.

NATURAL BORN KILLERS (994)

This film is conclusive proof that director Oliver Stone is:

(Please choose one of the following.)

1. A potential murderous psychopath who drinks blood for breakfast.

2. An escapee from a mental institution who needs to be sent back.

3. In serious need of extensive drug therapy.

4. A cinematic sadist who should never have been allowed near a movie camera.

5. A singular, courageous, iconoclastic film auteur who possesses (or perhaps is possessed by) a dark, disturbing vision of American society and its celebration of violence.

6. All of the above.

 

MONSTER FILM CLASS: AN OVERVIEW

 

Eight weeks of monsters. Vampires, werewolves, mummies, not to mention Karloff and Lugosi. What kind of a way is that to spend the last glorious days of Summer?

The best kind, obviously. My non-credit course, The Universal Horror Film: The Birth of a Genre, instructed by film critic and scholar Chuck Koplinski, was every bit as informative and enjoyable as I expected it to be. There were about twenty-five people in the class. To my surprise, many of the people hadn't seen several of the eight films we watched, in spite of the fact everyone in the class was over fifty, and most of us much older. Apparently, not every member of my generation was as obsessed with horror films as I was. 

Chuck chose the most classic of the Universal horrors, beginning in 1931 with the two movies that started it all: DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN. Here are my thoughts on all of the films shown in class.

1. DRACULA  This film is still magic to me. So much unforgettable imagery. That amazingly atmospheric coach ride at the beginning, carrying the doomed Renfield to Castle Dracula. The entrance into the dark, Gothic castle, the silent descent of the Count down the long staircase, the first words from the mouth of Bela Lugosi: "I am...Dracula." Even though I've seen this movie many times and know everything that is going to happen, I still fall under its spell. And I'm grateful for that, because to lose that sense of magic and wonder would be like losing a part of my soul. The first segment of this film would work beautifully as a silent picture, no doubt because of director Tod Browning's experience in the silent era. Some critics and fans consider the rest of the film to be slow and complain about the lack of music. But I think the measured pace and the silence add to the ambience of morbidity and mounting dread. Bela Lugosi is, and will always be, the definitive Count Dracula for me. And Dwight Frye gives a standout performance as Renfield.

2. FRANKENSTEIN (1931)  This second horror triumph from Universal takes us into an entirely different realm of cinematic experience. We emerge from the dark, mystical silence of Dracula's castle and enter into the tension-filled world of an obsessed mad scientist. James Whale's directorial talents and sensibilities were totally different than those of Tod Browning. Whale was definitely rooted in the sound era. He also had a more imaginative, action-oriented style than Browning. FRANKENSTEIN is full of dark, expressionistic sets and quirky camera angles that unsettle the viewer and create an atmosphere of relentless tension. The film also gives us a monster that is both terrifying and sympathetic. Boris Karloff's monster isn't the personification of evil like Bela Lugosi's vampire. The Frankenstein monster is the ultimate tragic figure, and Mr. Karloff portrays him with just the right balance of conflicting emotions. The film introduces the prototype for all movie mad scientists, Dr. Frankenstein, played brilliantly by Colin Clive. And Dwight Frye is back again, this time as the doctor's assistant, once again threatening to steal every scene he's in.

3. THE MUMMY (1932)  Full disclosure: I had to skip this class because of a bad case of the flu. But I've seen this wonderful movie many times. Boris Karloff, by now established as the Number One horror star at Universal, is made up to look even creepier than the Frankenstein monster, if that's possible. In the opening sequence, he plays an ancient mummy named Im-Ho-Tep, excavated from his tomb and accidently brought back to life. The moment when this creature starts moving is one of the most terrifying scenes in film history. The mummy somehow makes his way to London and is using the name Ardeth Bey. His eternal mission is to be reunited with his ancient lost love, an Egyptian princess, who is reincarnated into the body of a lovely young woman played by Zita Johann. This film, directed by Karl Freund, has less action than the two previous Universal hit releases. But there is such an incredible atmosphere of dread and decay brought on by the appearance of Ardeth Bey, who is, literally, walking death. Another amazing Karloff portrayal. This movie has inspired many sequels, but none can compare to the original.

4. THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933)  I hadn't seen this film for decades and didn't remember very many details. When I saw it again in the class, my initial reaction was that it isn't really what I would call a "monster" picture. In fact, I'm not sure exactly how to classify it. Maybe science fiction, but maybe just a character study. However, it is a fascinating concept and very well realized on film.  Claude Rains plays Dr. Jack Griffin, who has discovered a way to make himself invisible by using a chemical called monocaine. He is driven insane by the chemical and pledges to create havoc by first committing a series of pranks. But he is eventually driven to commit murder. James Whale directed this adaptation of the novel by H.G. Wells, and it was another major success for Universal. Rains is sensational in what is largely a vocal performance. As he is wrapped in bandages most of the time, we only see his face at the end of the film. His leading lady is Gloria Stuart. The film features quite a bit of comedy, much of it courtesy of Una O'Conner.

5. THE BLACK CAT (1934)  The first teaming of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff is probably their best work together. Edgar G. Ulmer directed this very loose, and extremely weird adaptation of the short story by Edgar Allen Poe and gave the world a visual masterpiece. Lugosi and Karloff portray mortal enemies with a long history going back to World War One. Lugosi plays Dr. Vitus Werdegast, a survivor of a prison camp, who is travelling by train to the home of Hjalmar Poelzig (Karloff) to seek revenge for betrayal during the war, and also for stealing Werdegast's wife and daughter. The sets and art direction for this film are fantastically bizarre, as is the cinematography. It's probably best that there is so much to look at, because the convoluted story may have some viewers scratching their heads. Along with revenge, the story also provides morbid sexuality, a suggestion of incest, and weird scenes of devil worship. Lugosi gives one of the most nuanced and sympathetic dramatic performances in his entire career. And Karloff creates one of his most evil, unsympathetic characters, exhibiting eerie restraint and quiet menace throughout. Featuring David Manners and Jacqueline Wells.

6. THE WOLF MAN (1941)  This is without a doubt one of the most beloved films in the Universal canon. Lon Chaney gets so much sympathy from the viewer that the story is as much a tragedy as it is a horror film. I don't recall finding this film scary when I first saw it as a kid, but it's always great fun to watch, even after multiple viewings. Chaney plays Lawrence Talbot, returning to his Welsh home after years of schooling in America, welcomed by his father, played by top-billed Claude Rains. Larry is bitten by a werewolf (Bela Lugosi in a brief but crucial characterization) and becomes a werewolf himself. The scenes of his transformation, the thick fog in the dark forest, and the ferocity of the werewolf attacks all contribute to an exciting cinematic experience. Chaney would reprise the role four more times, always playing the accursed Lawrence Talbot with intensity and sincerity. The film boasts an incredible supporting cast: Ralph Bellamy, Warren William, Patric Knowles, Maria Ouspenskaya, and the marvelous Evelyn Ankers, who would reign as Universal's #1 scream queen.

7. THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)  It's almost a cliche at this point, but so many monster fans have said that this first sequel in the FRANKENSTEIN franchise is superior to the original film. I'm not sure I agree, but BRIDE is so wonderful, and so different from the first movie, that it not only fulfills all expectations for a sequel but stands totally on its own merit as a classic. James Whale returns as director. He is joined by Colin Clive and Boris Karloff, beautifully reprising their roles from the original film, and also by Dwight Frye, who plays the doctor's assistant, but this time as a different character. For me, the main attraction will always be the glorious appearance of Elsa Lanchester as the bride of the monster. Her screen time may be brief, but she is unforgettable. Absolutely weird and wonderful! The film is fast-paced and gives Karloff's monster even more sympathetic moments than in the first movie. Colin Clive reaches new heights of mad scientist mania. The humor is provided by the insinuating Ernest Thesiger and the always frantic Una O'Conner. Also featuring Valerie Hobson, Gavin Gordon, and O.P. Heggie, with brief, uncredited performances by Walter Brennan and John Carradine.

8. DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1931)  Our instructor decided to show a film that was influenced by the success of the Universal horror films but produced at a different studio. He chose this award-winning film made by Paramount Pictures and directed by Rouben Mamoulian. The film won an Oscar for Fredric March for Best Actor. Other nominations were for Best Adaptation Writing and Best Cinematography. This movie is designated as a classic by most critics and fans and is included on lists compiled by the American Film Institute. I hesitate to commit blasphemy here, but I must admit I'm not a fan. While I appreciate parts of March's performance, I find his Mr. Hyde makeup overdone and almost laughable. It's hard for me to believe that the audiences of 1931 were in any way frightened or convinced by the makeup or the overdramatic portrayal of the evil Mr. Hyde. When I look at Hyde, all I can think of is Jerry Lewis in THE NUTTY PROFESSOR. I can't remember if I saw this version of Robert Louis Stevenson's story back in the 1960s when I was being introduced to the classic horror flicks via television. But I did see it on the big screen around ten or fifteen years ago, and I was quite disappointed. It wasn't just the Hyde makeup, but also the stilted dialogue and overly mannered performances of most of the actors. The one amazing asset this movie has is Miriam Hopkins. She is incredible in every possible way as the tragic victim of Hyde's cruelty and violence. She alone makes the film worth watching. I was hoping a second watch of the film might help me to appreciate it more, but it didn't happen.

Mr. Hyde notwithstanding, this class was a thoroughly rewarding experience. Another class is beginning in February: Silent Film Classics, with Chuck Koplinski as instructor. Can't wait to get started!! Stay tuned to these pages for a full report!