Tag: Fantasy
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Chamber of Horrors (1966)
October 19, 1966 Chamber of Horrors (1966) was intended as a pilot for a series, but was too “intense” for television, so additional footage was added and it was released as a theatrical motion picture. Neither these circumstances, nor the movie itself, is as strange as what the series might have been: a period detective…
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Re-Animator (1985)
October 18, 1985 Today we have another mid-80’s horror film that I’d never seen. It may be surprising to learn it’s one that’s been so popular over the years: Re-Animator (1985.) There was a time when I had little interest in a movie that featured over-the-top gore, as well as prejudice against what I perceived…
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The Devil & Daniel Webster (1941)
aka All That Money Can Buy October 17, 1941 This discussion is updated from one first published on Sept. 26, 2022… The Devil & Daniel Webster (1941) evokes It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) for me. Both are about men who make unfortunate decisions but discover the error of their ways and are given an opportunity…
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Flesh & Fantasy (1943)
When a man (Robert Benchley, I Married a Witch) has a “rough night” combination of a chat with a fortune teller and then a bad dream, his friend at the club (David Hoffman, The Beast with Five Fingers) attempts to snap him out of his jitters with three stories of the supernatural. Synopses of Flesh…
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Death Takes a Holiday (1934)
The origin of Death Takes a Holiday as a stage play are apparent in the 1934 film version. It’s talky, but the words don’t just consume time that could be used for action. They’re contemplative and meaningful. I probably didn’t catch the significance of them all, but at only 79 minutes, I’d gladly watch the…
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The Devil & Daniel Webster (1941)
aka All That Money Can Buy The Devil & Daniel Webster (1941) evokes It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) for me. Both are about men who make unfortunate decisions but discover the error of their ways and are given an opportunity to return to their original lives. Also, both save the climactic resolutions for a few…
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Robot Monster (1953)
Robot Monster (1953) is one of those supposedly awful sci-fi movies that I’ve never been able to bring myself to watch. However, when Amok Time Toys advertised a 13” deluxe vinyl figure of the titular creature (technically called “Ro-Man”), I realized how darned fun it might unexpectedly be. I mean, the gorilla body with a…
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The Fall of the House of Usher (1928)
Written by Luis Bunuel, Jean Epstein Based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe Directed by Jean Epstein Starring Jean Debucourt, Marguerite Gance, Charles Lamy, Fournez-Goffard Released October 5, 1928 (France) RT 63 min. Home Video Amazon Video (streaming), YouTube Classic Horrors rating = 7 (out of 10) This time I know what version of a silent film I…
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The Student of Prague (1913)
Written by Hanns Heinz Ewers Directed by Paul Wegener, Stellan Rye Starring Paul Wegener, Grete Berger, Lyda Salmonova, John Gottowt Released August 22, 1913 (Germany) RT 41 min. Home Video Alpha Home Entertainment (DVD) Classic Horrors rating = 7 (out of 10) When watching silent movies, I don’t know that you can ever see one in an environment that…
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The Phantom Carriage (1921)
Written by Victor Sjostrom Directed by Victor Sjostrom Based on the novel by Selma Lagerlof Starring Victor Sjostrom, Hilda Borgstrom, Tore Svennberg, Astrid Holm Released January 1, 1921 (Sweden) RT 107 min. Home Video The Criterion Collection (DVD, Blu-ray) Classic Horrors rating = 9 (out of 10) With its story within a story within a story, The Phantom Carriage…
Classic Horrors Club 