The Amazing Mr. X.

Review #2420: The Amazing Mr. X.

Cast: 

Turhan Bey (Alexis), Lynn Bari (Christine Faber), Cathy O'Donnell (Janet Burke), Richard Carlson (Martin Abbott), Donald Curtis (Paul Faber), Virginia Gregg (Emily), and Harry Mendoza (Detective Hoffman) Directed by Bernard Vorhaus.

Review: 

Sure, let's do one of these movies. This is one of those films that you find in the bargain bin, the kind that could be seen at any time on the Internet because it slipped into the public domain and therefore is readily available to varying quality. Apparently, the movie actually had a different title: It was known as "The Spiritualist" but somehow the movie was re-issued and put on television as the title you see today in...The Amazing Mr. X. Debate for yourself over which title fits the movie better. Crane Wilbur (the former actor-turned-writer of works such as The Monster) wrote the story that became this movie, which went from being a possible production for him to oversee with Producers Releasing Corporation to being a production led by Bernard Vorhaus at Eagle-Lion Films that had Muriel Bolton turn the story into a script. Vorhaus, not liking the script, asked for a re-write and got the services of Ian McLellan Hunter*. The movie apparently was shot in three weeks that went from January filming to being released in July. Vorhaus was an experienced director for several years, having gone from screenwriting to making quota quickies (i.e. fast and cheap) in England that resulted in movies such as The Last Journey (1936). Apparently, he was a young mentor to David Lean. He returned to the States with Republic Pictures, directing a handful of B-movies and later stuff for the war effort. It was among his last films as an American, as the House Un-American Activities Committee investigation on alleged Communists led to him being blacklisted. He didn't participate in the HUAC hearing and retired to England, where he operated a firm converting houses to offices and shops. He lived there for the remainder of his life, where he died in 2000 at the age of 95.

It helps to have John Alton as a cinematographer, doesn't it? He was the cameraman behind a number of noirs such as He Walked by Night (1948), Raw Deal (1948) and The Big Combo (1955), and he helps the effort here with a movie that at times seems eerie with its angles that make the film interesting to view beyond just a shabby little noir/thriller (well it isn't really any one genre, but whatever).* The 78-minute runtime is fairly satisfying for a movie that doesn't hesitate to just let its audience have a fair shot at following its attempts at showing the troubles of those who may very well believe what they see. You get an odd little caper that mostly is held up with Bey at hand. Bey had been playing a handful of roles on film ever since he had come to the States from Austria but the only reason he was with Eagle-Lion is because his contract had been sold due to struggles with Universal. This was the third of four movies he did for the studio before his career dwindled down, but he at least seems game to be a charming snake in the grass here, selling the audacity required in being involved with trying to play with things that aren't easy to quantify or understand. Bari makes for a quality type to get into the whirlwind of seeing and hearing things that may not be all the way there, mainly because it still seems pretty real now to see people fooled by things they want to hear, particularly since Carlson is probably too ordinary to really contrast the interest obviously generated by Bey, and O'Donnell is merely just fine. In general, it may be an average movie on a first impression, but it eventually finds its footing with stark imagery, sly charm by Bey and a general respect for wanting to keep the audience interested in its arrangement of emotional cons that at least shows you could find a good time with "old movies" if you know where to go.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

*Coincidentally, Vorhaus did uncredited work as an assistant director on Roman Holiday (1953), the movie that notably saw Hunter's name listed on the credits as a writer as a front for the actual work of Dalton Trumbo, which resulted in an Academy Award.

*Interestingly, Alton also wrote a book on the subject of cinematography with Painting with Light in 1949.

Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Review #1290: Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Cast: 
Richard Carlson (Dr. David Reed), Julie Adams (Kay Lawrence), Richard Denning (Dr. Mark Williams), Antonio Moreno (Dr. Carl Maia), Nestor Paiva (Captain Lucas), Whit Bissell (Dr. Edwin Thompson), Bernie Gozier (Zee), Henry A. Escalante (Chico), Perry Lopez (Tomas), Rodd Redwing (Luis), Sydney Mason (Dr. Matos), Ben Chapman (Gill-man - land), and Ricou Browning (Gill-man - underwater) Directed by Jack Arnold (#420 - The Incredible Shrinking Man and #464 - It Came from Outer Space)

Review: 
It should come as no surprise to encounter yet another Universal monster film for the season. There are plenty of films classified under horror in their catalog, where one can't go wrong with many of their efforts, such as The Phantom of the Opera (1925), or The Invisible Man (1933), where even the lesser ones are worthy of curiosity. The 1950s was the decade of television along with the decade of expanded kinds of horror. Whether it was space aliens, giant monsters, radiated mutants, or some sort of offbeat horror, it certainly must've proved a fun time to make something to try and get some sort of entertainment (or perhaps a cheap buck). Universal persisted with their own horror films as well during the decade, with the obvious standout being the Gill-man. Although he did not appear in as many films as say Frankenstein or Dracula, the creature was the only one with its own trilogy of films in the decade for Universal (unless one counts the Abbott and Costello series, which had three horror comedy features in this decade), with its sequels released in the following two years (Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us). In any case, the Gill-man is the last great Universal monster, an ancient amphibious creature of the sea that certainly draw a small bit of sympathy and interest. The monster was designed by former Disney illustrator Milicent Patrick, whose work was overshadowed by makeup artist Bud Westmore for decades; the costume was made by airtight molded sponge rubber for $15,000. It was filmed in 3D, with polarized light projection, which meant gray polarizing filters (as opposed to red-blue), with producer William Alland having originally being inspired by a story told to him by Gabriel Figueroa about a half fish/human myth in the Amazon, writing notes about a "Sea Monster", which was expanded on by writers Harry Essex and Arthur A. Ross, with story by Maurice Zimm. It is safe to say that this is a well-done classic, worthy of being in anyone's horror curiosity. The monster effects look pretty good, with an eerie quality about the way it looks that makes for such an interesting creature to spend time with, particularly with all those bumps and gills along with that face. The acting is fine, with Carlson and Adams carrying the ship okay in the sense that while not completely full-fledged, they each manage to fulfill the necessary things to give the film something other than a big water monster attacking random folks entering its domain. No one goes too off the deep end in camp nor too much seriousness, with the film generally having a reasoned atmosphere, where the monster looms for two environments and seems pretty formidable for 79 minutes, with Chapman and Browning proving well with portraying the monster when needed. The climax is pretty swift, with a little time spent involving the creature and his thing for the leading lady that goes over just fine, and it proved an inspiration for Guillermo del Toro that eventually resulted in The Shape of Water (2017). All in all, this is a pretty entertaining movie, capable of giving off a few scares and thrills with a solid creature and premise (while not falling apart in clichés) that has a sturdy foundation in its other aspects to make something useful in horror from the deep.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Tormented.

Review #929: Tormented.

Cast: 
Richard Carlson (Tom Stewart), Susan Gordon (Sandy Hubbard), Lugene Sanders (Meg Hubbard), Juli Reding (Vi Mason), Joe Turkel (Nick), Lillian Adams (Mrs. Ellis), and Gene Roth (Mr. Nelson) Directed by Bert I. Gordon.

Review: 
When it comes to horror films, can you think of one with a ghost tormenting her old lover and his impending marriage? Where one moment involves the main character holding up a ghost and...its head? It seems the only one that can hear and see this ghost is the main character, who sees her in a photograph along with seeing her head in a wrap, even though it is actually just flowers. This is a ludricious kind of movie, filled with pallid characters and a thin plot that still manages to veer toward the absurd, particularly with the ending. With ridiculous cliches (and accompanying spooky music), this is a movie that falls into line with other run-of-the-mill horror flicks like The Screaming Skull (#654), with both films also having been lampooned by Mystery Science Theater 3000. There isn't much to the actors aside from Carlson, who manages to be pretty capable (all things considered) as the lead in a movie where he shows the most energy that reaches believability. Gordon doesn't really get much to do, and Sanders isn't too much better. Reding isn't much of a villain, and her presence doesn't make the movie any more chilling. The climax of the movie is swift (this is a 75 minute film, after all), if not as somber as one would probably expect in a movie like this, though it doesn't really leave that much impact. At the end of the day, this is a movie filled with empty pacing and even emptier people.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: The Ghost Breakers.

Review #650: The Ghost Breakers.

Cast
Bob Hope (Larry Lawrence), Paulette Goddard (Mary Carter), Richard Carlson (Geoff Montgomery), Paul Lukas (Parada), Willie Best (Alex), Pedro de Cordoba (Havez), Virginia Brissac (Mother Zombie), Noble Johnson (The Zombie), and Anthony Quinn (Ramon Mederes/Francisco Mederes) Directed by George Marshall.

Review
The Ghost Breakers isn't exactly a horror film, it's a comedy-horror mix, but it fits into the context of this month, and I get to rectify a long running mistake: Not reviewing a film with Bob Hope in the main cast. It's weird how it took almost four years to do this given Hope had a long running career with over 50 films in a span of 40 years not counting cameo roles. But anyway, this is a movie that even has zombies in it, and guys who play dual roles, this could very well have been a drama, though the movie had been made two times before in the silent era, so who knows? The actors are pretty good conveying spooks and decent enough comedic timing, Hope is probably the best  part of the movie, right next to the cinematography by Charles B. Lang, along with some really fine camera shots that make the movie at least have some chilliness to it. The movie is short at about 83 minutes, but it moves at a good pace and it manages to not overstay or under stay its welcome. Goddard does a pretty good job being the lead next to Hope, she even gets in a few fun lines, and her and Hope share a good rapport in this film, which is a plus. The movie is enjoyable enough and sweet enough to work as a film to watch if it's on or a rental, especially for this month.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: It Came from Outer Space.

Review #464: It Came from Outer Space.

Cast
Richard Carlson (John Putnam), Barbara Rush (Ellen Fields), Charles Drake (Sheriff Matt Warren), Joe Sawyer (Frank Daylon), Russell Johnson (George), Dave Willock (Pete Davis), and Robert Carson (Dugan) Directed by Jack Arnold (#420 - The Incredible Shrinking Man)

Review
With a title like that, expecting a monster/alien is expected, without a doubt, and that certainly is accomplished, but the film manages to be more than just an "alien invades the earth" story, and though it's not a great science fiction film, it certainly is a very passable one. The actors aren't bad, given their characters. The film was originally released in 3-D, which is incredibly obvious even 60 years later, with some shots from the 1st person POV of the aliens, which even without 3-D is actually kind of creative. The film is alright to look at, and the makeup isn't that bad. The story (By Ray Bradbury) and the screenplay (by Harry Essex) are finely written, a film not easy to ignore, and it doesn't run too long, so it's easy to watch without being bored. I'd recommend this for anybody looking for some classic 50's science fiction (or sci-fi, whatever name sounds better to say) to watch.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.