Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 1st, 2002
Haven’t we all fantasized about what it would be like to be invisible? Most of the common perks come to mind: spying, getting into movies and amusement parks free, even the baser peeping tom inclinations come to mind. James Whale would pair his Frankenstein masterpieces with this equally trend-setting film. The film is only loosely based on the popular H.G. Wells novel and is played more for chills. Claude Rains does such a wonderful role when you consider that for most of the film he is denied physical presence on the screen.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 1st, 2002
It’s hard to imagine, but in the 1930’s sequels were almost unheard of. If a work was considered to be a franchise, it was released in serial form before the main features. By today’s standards, Bride of Frankenstein would be no surprise. James Whale was reluctant to continue the Frankenstein saga as was the Monster himself, Boris Karloff. Universal was relentless and the world is the benefactor of its greed. Bride of Frankenstein not only lives up to its original but in many ways surpasses it. The sets are far more grand and the story was Universal’s most compelling. Whale would later admit that it was the only story that “had to be told”. Elsa Lanchester would become an icon with a measly 3 minutes of screen time; the image is forever embedded into the pop culture. This is without a doubt one of the best horror films of all time.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 28th, 2002
Synopsis
The tale is told in flashback. We begin in 1950, in a labour camp in Czechoslovakia. Franta Sláma (Ondrej Vetch ) is imprisoned there for having flown with the RAF during World War II – his reward for having helped liberate his country. From this beginning, we move back to see Sláma's experiences in England, his fatherly relationship with his protégé Karel Vojtisek (Krystof Hádek), and their love triangle with the married Englishwoman Tara Fitzgerald.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 23rd, 2002
“He’s gone for a little walk.” I’ve never forgotten the first time I saw the mad assistant describe the escape of the Mummy from his tomb and the maniacal laughter that accompanied it. Again it’s the combination of Boris Karloff and makeup genius Jack Pearce that defines a creature for generations to come. When most of us think of a mummy we recall the bandaged creeping terror of Karloff’s portrayal rather than the more mundane rotted corpses found in museums all over the world. With a powerful cast and grand set designs, The Mummy would wrap all of us up in horror for 60 years.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 23rd, 2002
Synopsis
Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan), is on his way home from visiting his father at the hospital when he finds a human ear. He turns the ear over to the police, but the mystery eats at him, and, with the help of a detective's daughter (Laura Dern), he begins his own investigation. Very quickly, he gets in over his head, becoming involved with the masochistic Isabella Rossellini, and her deeply disturbed, deeply sadistic boyfriend, Dennis Hopper (in his most terrifying role).
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 21st, 2002
By 1954 it seemed that Universal had run out its string of classic horror icons. Frankenstein’s Monster, The Mummy, and the Wolfman were forever gone from the backlots of Universal Studios. Enter Bud Westmore with a brand new monster design and The Creature soon joined the unholy 3 as the new face of horror. The Creature or Gillman would be the first Universal monster to be a full body suit and played by 2 actors in the same film (Browning for water and Chapman for land). Jack Arnold would bring a newly charged atmosphere and revitalize a genre.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 20th, 2002
“Even a man who is pure at heart and says his prayers at night can become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the moon is full and bright.” Curt Siodmak penned that poem over 60 years ago as the centerpiece for a film that was to feature Boris Karloff. The film was to be called “Destiny” and provide Karloff with a less lumbering creature than his Frankenstein’s monster. The project was put on hold and would eventually re-emerge as “The Wolf Man”, this time starring the son of the man of a thousand faces, Lon Chaney, Jr. Chaney would later in life claim this as his favorite role because unlike the Monster or the Mummy it was “completely my own”.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 17th, 2002
Film
Braveheart this film is not, but The Patriot is still a decent Mel Gibson offering. This film, along with Hollow Man, has had the pleasure of being one of the first Superbit Deluxe DVD release. For me, this film will be remembered by one, and only one great sequence. That sequence (if you have seen this film you will know this scene) is when Mel Gibson goes loco with his hatchet. This scene is worth the price of admission (or cost of the DVD) alone.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 16th, 2002
“Among the rugged peaks that frown upon the Borgo Pass are found crumbling castles of a bygone age.” Carla Laemmle read these the first words ever spoken in a horror film that featured sound in the opening moments of Dracula. The film was based more on the Broadway play version of Dracula than the famous Bram Stoker novel. Who better to play the Count than the young Hungarian actor who immortalized him on the stage, Bela Lugosi? Lugosi brought more immortality to Dracula than the blood of his victims. Even today over 70 years later the flowing cape, the hypnotic gaze, and the accented “Good Evening” of Lugosi is the image most of us draw upon when we think of Dracula specifically or vampires in general. Tod Browning’s ingenious use of lighting combined with the maniacal laugh of Dwight Frye’s Renfield still manage to be effective.
Synopsis
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on May 15th, 2002
The Films
Guilty as charged. Yes, it is true… until now, I had never seen any of the Rambo films. Sure, these films are all now somewhat dated, but they sure are fun to watch.
