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Post by ripper on Oct 23, 2023 17:40:34 GMT
Last night's viewing: Vincent Price reveals four grisly tales of Southern Gothic from the haunted history of Oldfield, Tennessee in the late Jeff Burr's feature debut, From A Whisper To A Scream. I hadn't seen this since renting it on VHS in the late 80s, but Turbine Films in Germany released a fantastic deluxe blu-ray set a couple of years ago. The film was criticised at the time - by Vincent Price, among others - for its violence and bad taste - one of the stories is about necrophilia - but it stands up very well, I thought. There's a certain EC Comics tone to a couple of the stories, and Price adds a touch of sardonic wit to his linking scenes. And there's a nice Hammer link in a cameo by Martine Bestwick as Price's niece. It also has a Tod Browning connection in Angelo Rossitto, who was in Freaks, and appears in a carnival story here. I particularly enjoy the carnival and immortality stories. The first story is quite nasty and Clu gulager gives a great performance. It's chilling to see him finally snap after having to take care of his sister for years. By the way, the actress playing the sister was Gulager's real-life wife. |
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 23, 2023 18:51:22 GMT
I particularly enjoy the carnival and immortality stories. The first story is quite nasty and Clu gulager gives a great performance. It's chilling to see him finally snap after having to take care of his sister for years. By the way, the actress playing the sister was Gulager's real-life wife. I'm mainly familiar with Clu Gulager from Return of the Living Dead. He's great in this nasty little tale - the role was originally intended for a younger actor but Gulager specifically requested it, having initially been approached for Cameron Mitchell's role, and reshaped it, while his wife, Miriam, also wrote the song he sings after the murder. There's a terrific, in-depth making of documentary in the blu-ray set, as well as a delightful documentary about director Jeff Burr and his friends' teenage years making Super 8 films in their hometown of Dalton, which was where From a Whisper was shot. |
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Post by ripper on Oct 23, 2023 20:34:01 GMT
I particularly enjoy the carnival and immortality stories. The first story is quite nasty and Clu gulager gives a great performance. It's chilling to see him finally snap after having to take care of his sister for years. By the way, the actress playing the sister was Gulager's real-life wife. I'm mainly familiar with Clu Gulager from Return of the Living Dead. He's great in this nasty little tale - the role was originally intended for a younger actor but Gulager specifically requested it, having initially been approached for Cameron Mitchell's role, and reshaped it, while his wife, Miriam, also wrote the song he sings after the murder. There's a terrific, in-depth making of documentary in the blu-ray set, as well as a delightful documentary about director Jeff Burr and his friends' teenage years making Super 8 films in their hometown of Dalton, which was where From a Whisper was shot. I rented From a Whisper... on video when it came out, but now have a US tape of the film under its alternate title The Offspring. The BR sounds great. I really enjoy all the extras that come with DVD/BR. Funny you should mention Return of the Living Dead. Amazon have it on Prime at the moment and I watched it a few days ago after maybe a couple of decades. It's such a fun little film, and Gulager is very good. He's the kind of actor who always gave his all, and was in high demand, despite never becoming a big star. Character actors like Gulager are the backbone of films that allow the big stars to shine. |
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 25, 2023 11:25:12 GMT
I thoroughly enjoyed The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix, Mike Flanagan's ingenious melding of a mosaic of Edgar Allan Poe's stories and ideas with a family drama, a satire, and a state of the nation address. A great relief after the unfortunate mess that was The Haunting of Bly Manor. I thought this series was beautifully done and beautifully played by a terrific cast. The use of genuine Poe poetry was also a fantastic touch.
Tonight, though, it will be the Roger Corman version of House of Usher, possibly on a double bill with a Dr Phibes film, to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Vincent Price's death.
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Oct 25, 2023 11:39:21 GMT
I thoroughly enjoyed The Fall of the House of Usher on Netflix, Mike Flanagan's ingenious melding of a mosaic of Edgar Allan Poe's stories and ideas with a family drama, a satire, and a state of the nation address. A great relief after the unfortunate mess that was The Haunting of Bly Manor. I thought this series was beautifully done and beautifully played by a terrific cast. The use of genuine Poe poetry was also a fantastic touch. Tonight, though, it will be the Roger Corman version of House of Usher, possibly on a double bill with a Dr Phibes film, to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Vincent Price's death. If you are a House of Usher film completist there is a version called The House of Usher from 1989 with Oliver Reed and an odd little version from 1950 made by a British studio (GIB Films) called The Fall of the House of Usher. The first I have a note for saying weirdly bad movie, the second I have: This is an obscure British version made in 1948, but released in 1950. It's an odd mix. Some of the acting seems wooden for today's standards, but maybe they were stage actors; also the accents sound very upper class, of a type that isn't really heard anymore. It has a weird plot element added, which I won't give away, which adds nothing to the original story. However bits of the directing work and the lead female, Gwendoline Watford, is the standout of the cast. I'll try to watch a Vincent Price later, if I can. |
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 25, 2023 12:35:15 GMT
If you are a House of Usher film completist there is a version called The House of Usher from 1989 with Oliver Reed and an odd little version from 1950 made by a British studio (GIB Films) called The Fall of the House of Usher. The first I have a note for saying weirdly bad movie, the second I have: This is an obscure British version made in 1948, but released in 1950. It's an odd mix. Some of the acting seems wooden for today's standards, but maybe they were stage actors; also the accents sound very upper class, of a type that isn't really heard anymore. It has a weird plot element added, which I won't give away, which adds nothing to the original story. However bits of the directing work and the lead female, Gwendoline Watford, is the standout of the cast. I haven't seen the Oliver Reed and Donald Pleasence film, and I've never heard anything good about it. I have seen the 1948 film, and it really is a weird take on the story. Some nice imagery, a wonderfully over the top intro of some bluff, plummy chaps in a club comparing tales of terror, and a creepy, odd atmosphere. I bought it on a VHS years ago from a company in America specialising in rare horror films, and I'm pretty sure there was a reel missing somewhere. These days it crops up fairly regularly on the wonderful Talking Pictures TV channel. Gwen Watford is the only cast member who sticks in mind, and she went on to a long and impressive career, with roles in The Ripping Yarns, Miss Marple, Taste the Blood of Dracula and The Ghoul among others. As well as Vincent Price's anniversary, I'm reminded that Amicus's Vault of Horror opened in the UK 50 years ago today, so an anniversary rewatch of that is added to tonight's list of programmes. |
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Post by ripper on Oct 25, 2023 18:43:51 GMT
I remember seeing the 1989 version of Usher in the video shop, but that's the closest I have come to seeing it--doesn't sound like I missed much. I might have seen the 1948 version decades ago, but will keep my eyes peeled for it appearing on TP.
30 years since we lost Vincent Price. It's certainly worth remembering the great man with a viewing of one of his films...maybe House on Haunted Hill. There's a great story about him and Coral Brown shopping for a bed--they met on Theatre of Blood I think. They were getting very old when shopping for a bed and asked the assistant how long it would take to get the one they liked. The assistant told them and it was quite a while. I believe it was Brown that replied, "Take a look at us. Do you think we have that long?"
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Post by helrunar on Oct 25, 2023 18:49:59 GMT
It's so hard for me to choose a favorite Vincent film. The Masque of the Red Death (1964) is a strong contender. There's this moment where Prince Prospero (a very arch, fruity Vincent--I always think of him a mediaeval style queen with a strong taste for kink) turns to a horrified Jane Asher and exults, "Just imagine the fun when we share the glories of Hell!" I'm paraphrasing, but not by much. Always a treat. Hazel Court is very good too as Vincent's evil Queen Consort in that one.
Hel.
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Post by andydecker on Oct 25, 2023 20:05:31 GMT
It's so hard for me to choose a favorite Vincent film. The Masque of the Red Death (1964) is a strong contender. There's this moment where Prince Prospero (a very arch, fruity Vincent--I always think of him a mediaeval style queen with a strong taste for kink) turns to a horrified Jane Asher and exults, "Just imagine the fun when we share the glories of Hell!" I'm paraphrasing, but not by much. Always a treat. Hazel Court is very good too as Vincent's evil Queen Consort in that one. Hel. You may be right. It is the strongest of the movies. His whiny Roderick Usher comes close, though. But Masque has one of the best realised endings. When all the cowls meet, it gives me a chiller. I always wonder where the meet today.
The most memorable Vincent moment for me is his little monologue in Alice Cooper's Black Widow.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 25, 2023 21:30:39 GMT
I remember seeing the 1989 version of Usher in the video shop, but that's the closest I have come to seeing it--doesn't sound like I missed much. I might have seen the 1948 version decades ago, but will keep my eyes peeled for it appearing on TP. 30 years since we lost Vincent Price. It's certainly worth remembering the great man with a viewing of one of his films...maybe House on Haunted Hill. There's a great story about him and Coral Brown shopping for a bed--they met on Theatre of Blood I think. They were getting very old when shopping for a bed and asked the assistant how long it would take to get the one they liked. The assistant told them and it was quite a while. I believe it was Brown that replied, "Take a look at us. Do you think we have that long?" I'd have picked House on Haunted Hill for viewing, only I recently backed a Kickstarter for a company who have transformed the film into a 3D version, so I'm holding off for that Blu-Ray. The trailer looks great if you have 3D specs handy... www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9E75ae_BxYOn the subject of Coral, I was reminded today of the story of her appearing on stage in Oedipus Rex where part of the design involved massive phalluses being carried onto the stage. The whole of the stalls and most of the circle heard Coral turn to Charles Gray and 'whisper', 'Nobody we know, dear... unfortunately.' |
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enoch
Devils Coach Horse
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Post by enoch on Oct 26, 2023 2:47:15 GMT
I'd have a hard time picking an absolute favorite Vincent Price film. House on Haunted Hill and Masque of the Red Death are certainly ihn the top 5 though, along with Witchfinder General (a.k.a. The Conqueror Worm). I'm also a big fan of Price's radio series "The Price of Fear," especially the episodes in which Vincent takes part as a character as opposed to being merely the narrator.
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Post by helrunar on Oct 26, 2023 3:13:20 GMT
Others that have been part of my inner horrorscape for years: Dragonwyck (more Gothic suspense than flat-out horror), Tomb of Ligeia, Theatre of Blood, the Dr Phibes films. "The Price of Fear" is an excellent series, too. I heard one that he did with Peter Cushing that had a kind of dystopian telepathy theme--they had some delightful dialogue together. It was supposed to be based on "an idea" of Robert Holmes.
Hel.
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Post by helrunar on Oct 26, 2023 3:15:14 GMT
The various cowls met today in a small town called Lewiston, Maine, where yet another crazed white dude with some kind of automatic weapon shot at least 22 people to death and injured many more.
Cue the huge gun lobbies led by the National Rifle Association to shove more platitudes about how guns don't kill people down our collective throats. God Herself will give them blood to drink.
Hel.
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Post by ripper on Oct 26, 2023 9:06:09 GMT
Others that have been part of my inner horrorscape for years: Dragonwyck (more Gothic suspense than flat-out horror), Tomb of Ligeia, Theatre of Blood, the Dr Phibes films. "The Price of Fear" is an excellent series, too. I heard one that he did with Peter Cushing that had a kind of dystopian telepathy theme--they had some delightful dialogue together. It was supposed to be based on "an idea" of Robert Holmes. Hel. I believe that's the one where Price and Cushing are on a train and the latter relates the story of his wayward wife and a swimming pool. |
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Post by ripper on Oct 26, 2023 9:09:34 GMT
The various cowls met today in a small town called Lewiston, Maine, where yet another crazed white dude with some kind of automatic weapon shot at least 22 people to death and injured many more. Cue the huge gun lobbies led by the National Rifle Association to shove more platitudes about how guns don't kill people down our collective throats. God Herself will give them blood to drink. Hel. Oh my goodness, that is awful. RIP to all the people who lost their lives. |
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