Psycho
"The Essential Alfred Hitchcock"
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What can you say about Psycho? This was the forerunner of all of the slasher/maniac-on the loose movies, both good and bad, that succeeded it. It’s story is, of course, old hat by now (how many headlining stars have been offed 40 minutes or less into the movie?---see Angie Dickinson in Dressed to Kill or Drew Barrymore in Scream), but the artistry of Alfred Hitchcock and his associates still remains. It’s there in the ghostly black and white images of Anthony Perkins watching Janet Leigh and her car sink into the swamp, and it’s there in the ragged harshness of Perkins mopping up Leigh’s blood beforehand. The loneliness of Leigh traveling on the highway (accompanied by Bernard Herrmann’s famous score), along with the famous house silhouetted against the sky set a mood that would sadly be lost amongst today’s shockers. As effective as it still is, can you imagine how it went down when it was released during the peachy- keen Eisenhower years?
Chris' Comment:
Hitchcock was undeniably influential and I count Rear Window as one of
my favorites. Psycho no doubt shocked
audiences when it was released to theaters, as it had no real cinematic
equal. A precursor to a new breed of
horror that did not involve giant insects or alien invaders, it has to be
considered an innovative and controversial movie exposing the dark nature of
man.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
"The seed is planted....terror grows."
The 1956 version was certainly effective for it’s time as a well-made low-budget shocker, but this Me Generation update expands upon the ideas of Jack Finneys’ novel. It’s one of the best black comedies ever made. Donald Sutherland is an unusual (and sometimes creepy) choice for a hero and Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy both turn in iconic performances---gotta love the eccentric Goldblum! And whatever happened to the lovely and appealing Brooke Adams? Director Philipp Kaufmann serves up a moody succession of shadowed imagery, along with still top-notch (though not overused) special effects. And who can forget the wonderful sound effects provided by Star Wars’ Ben Burtt? That ending---wow.
The 1956 version was certainly effective for it’s time as a well-made low-budget shocker, but this Me Generation update expands upon the ideas of Jack Finneys’ novel. It’s one of the best black comedies ever made. Donald Sutherland is an unusual (and sometimes creepy) choice for a hero and Jeff Goldblum and Leonard Nimoy both turn in iconic performances---gotta love the eccentric Goldblum! And whatever happened to the lovely and appealing Brooke Adams? Director Philipp Kaufmann serves up a moody succession of shadowed imagery, along with still top-notch (though not overused) special effects. And who can forget the wonderful sound effects provided by Star Wars’ Ben Burtt? That ending---wow.
Chris' Comment:
Donald Sutherland’s mouth agape and pointing stance still haunt my
memories from childhood. I never knew
that Leonard Nimoy could perform any non-Vulcan role before seeing this movie
in my teens. I have not seen the
original for a comparison, so for me this version was the genuine article.
Dead of Night (1945)
No Tagline
This scared me silly when I was a kid. This was one of the
first horror film anthologies, beating similarly-styled British horror films
from Hammer and Amicus by nearly 20 years. An excellent cast (hey, Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang’s Sally Ann Howes as a teenager!) and wonderful atmosphere set
up by several directors. A great, surrealistic ending that’s not to be missed.
Chris' Comment: One
of the two movies from Jim’s favorites that I had not previously seen, I looked
forward to getting into a movie from a generation of films very
under-represented from my own viewing archive.
What I found was a story that I could sincerely appreciate (think
Groundhog Day meets Twilight Zone), but ended up being a very mixed bag
experience. Set up as a loosely
connected group of short tales, the characters in the film share their spooky
experiences before the ending that brings it all together. A couple of the stories are truly creepy and
effective including a race car driver’s near death experience and the final
story about a ventriloquist who may or may not be in control of his dummy
partner. Other than that, I found the
stories to be not so compelling.
An American Werewolf in London
"Beware the moon."
The classic hipster comedy from John Landis.
Funny and scary, a wonderful combination. A great soundtrack and Oscar-winning
makeup effects by Rick Baker. “Have you ever talked to a corpse? It’s boring!”
Chris' Comment: One
of my early favorites too, and only narrowly missed my own top five, American
Werewolf contains one of the most visceral and scary werewolf transformations
you are likely to see on film. And the
relationship between the afflicted and his dead ghost of a friend is classic!
Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein
"More howls than you can shake a shiver at!"
The old-school funny and scary and still great
fun. Too many great Lou Costello moments to mention. Bela Lugosi back as the
Count for the second and final time! And Lenore Aubert as….SANDRA!!!
Fondly remembered as one I used to watch with my dad every time that it
was on TV. And wait a minute---what’s the deal with the Count’s reflection in
the mirror as he’s biting Sandra?! Didn’t they study their vampire lore?
Chris' Comment: The
other movie from Jim’s top five I had not previously seen (at least from start
to end) is truly a fun experience.
Harkening back to a more innocent time when comedic laughs did not have
to be drawn from something grossly inappropriate or shocking behavior, Abbot
& Costello Meet Frankenstein certainly will give a nice option to the feint
of heart who can’t quite handle a true scare but want to relish a film in the
spirit of the season. The famous duo
actually tackle Dracula and The Wolfman played by Bella Lugosi and Lon Chaney
Jr as well. Have fun!
Honorable Mentions from both Jim & Chris include:
Slither-the most recent movie on the list, this gets kudos for keeping CGI
effects to a minimum and relying on amazing, full-scale make-up effects.
Boasting a great cast, it’s one of the funniest and least self-serious horror
movies to come along in years.
The
Raven (1963)---more scary-funny hijinks (though mostly funny). A low-budget
treat with the great Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre, plus Jack
Nicholson as the young hero (man, would he change!). Script by the great
Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, The Shrinking Man) and tongue-in-cheek direction
by exploitation movie maestro Roger Corman.
When a Stranger Calls (1979)---"Have you checked the children?" Forget the 2006 remake and go find a copy of the original. And then try to steel your nerves to an unexpected phone call the next time you are all alone in the dark.
The Exorcist--William Peter Blatty, who fashioned himself more a writer of comedy, is best known for this terrifying novel and movie. This one sent people streaming out of theaters in terror and shows us a true test of good vs evil in the battle for a little girl's soul.
Thanks everyone for reading! And Happy Halloween!!!
-Chris & Jim
