SOMETHING EVIL (1972)
TV-Movie
Article 4016 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 8-28-2012
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Featuring Sandy Dennis, Darren McGavin, Ralph Bellamy
Country: USA
What it is: House with a malignant force

A couple buys and moves into a country farmhouse, only to discover there’s a demonic presence there.

A house with a malignant evil in it is hardly an original idea, and the weakest thing about this movie is the script, which dabbles in cliches and occasional fits of silliness; I find it hard to take seriously either the crying jar of goo or the demon eyes in the window. Still, the movie redeems itself with a solid cast (which also includes Johnny Whitaker, Jeff Corey and Bruno Ve Sota), creative direction from Steven Spielberg, and some effective camerawork; I particular like how the climax of the movie is handled. What I enjoyed most about the movie was seeing Spielberg honing his craft; I like the way he handles the party and crowd scenes and little touches like the conversation between the wife and her friend’s son in which we see their expressions through the chain lock on a door. It isn’t one of Spielberg’s great movies, by any means, but it probably would have been somewhat weaker in someone else’s hands. And there is something genuinely upsetting about seeing the likable family start to come apart when the evil sets in.

SORTILEGES (1945)
aka The Bellman
Article 4010 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 8-22-2012
Directed by Christian-Jaque
Featuring Lucien Coedel, Fernand Ledoux, Renee Faure
Country: France
What it is: Crime thriller with horror elements

A bellman – that is, a man whose job it is to help lost travelers in the Alps find their way from the ringing of a bell – kills a traveler for his money and splits the proceeds with a companion. However, complications follow…

This is the fourth day in a row that I’ve been able to watch a movie that had fallen into my “ones that got away” list (and I offer my sincere thanks to those board members on CHFB who were able to point me in the direction of them). Like yesterday’s movie, this one is in French without English subtitles, so some of the plot elements are lost on me. It’s a shame; this is one I really wish I could understand more, because what I see is quite intriguing. It’s a visual treat; the snowy locations, the scenes of the murder victim’s horse running wild, and a wonderful dancing sequence are the definite highlights here. I’m not sure exactly to what extent this is a horror movie; the original plot descriptions made me think that the bellman was responsible for several murders (making him something of a serial killer), but only one occurs onscreen during the length of the movie, so if there were others, the details are hidden in the dialogue. However, the wild horse scenes give the sense of a vengeful spirit from hell, and there’s a sequence that may have touches of black magic when an ailing woman is revived with the blood of a bird. The movie seems to be forgotten nowadays, but I really hope a subtitled copy comes to light; whether it’s really a horror movie or not, it does appear to be a gripping and memorable movie.

SUENO DE LA LUNA (1905)
aka Reve a la lune, Lover of the Moon
Article 4007 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 8-19-2012
Directed by Gaston Velle and Ferdinand Zecca
Featuring Ferdinand Zecca
Country: France
What it is: Silent trick short

A drunkard given to hallucinations dreams that he travels to the moon.

This silent short is mostly focused on the hallucinations of a drunkard in somewhat the same fashion as THE DREAM OF A RAREBIT FIEND. The moon only comes into play once he has fallen asleep, and he tries to reach the moon first by climbing the building to get to the roof, and then riding to the moon on one of the structures at the top of the building. The most startling sequence here borrows somewhat from A TRIP TO THE MOON, only instead of the moon’s eye being hit by the rocket, we see the drunkard climbing into the moon’s mouth. I wish the print was a little better so I could figure out how they did it, but it is one of the more impressive special effects in the early days of the silents. At any rate, I’m glad to salvage this one off of the “ones that got away” list.

THE STRANGE AND DEADLY OCCURRENCE (1974)
TV-Movie
Article 3978 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 7-13-2012
Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey
Featuring Robert Stack, Vera Miles, L.Q. Jones
Country: USA
What it is: Spooky house story

A family undergoes a number of strange events after they move into an isolated house. Is the place haunted, or is someone trying to scare them off?

I remember reading an analysis of the movie FREAKS once that made the observation that there was something rather absurd about the concept of Prince Randian, the living torso taking part in a chase with a knife clutched in his teeth, but that the absurdity did not detract from the creepiness of the sight. The same could be said about what appears to be the horrific highlight in this one in which a dressmaker’s dummy attacks the teenage daughter; it is an unsettling visual, even though the worst the dummy could probably really do is fall on top of her. It’s certainly scarier than any of the other attempted scares in this movie, especially those that attempt to make gophers(!) scary creatures of evil. Unfortunately, even the dummy scene didn’t really compensate for the fact that I found the movie painfully predictable; once the creepy doctor shows up, I knew the true nature of the hauntings, and once I knew where the doctor practiced, I knew the underlying reason. The trouble is, I don’t think the movie wanted you to figure it out that early. In the end, I think the movie would have worked better if those in charge had decided to play it like a thriller rather than a horror story. The movie does have its fans, of course, but for me, if fell flat.

THE SLIPPER AND THE ROSE: THE STORY OF CINDERELLA (1976)
Article 3977 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 7-12-2012
Directed by Bryan Forbes
Featuring Richard Chamberlain, Gemma Craven, Michael Hordern
Country: UK
What it is: Lavish musical retelling of the Cinderella story

In order to find a wife for the prince, a King holds a ball to invite all the ladies of the land. However, his heart is won by a lowly stepdaughter whose name he doesn’t even know. When she vanishes at midnight, he sets out to find her.

From the year after this one was released, I’ve so far covered two different musical versions of the same story – both of them softcore porn versions. I make this observation for one reason, and that is to illustrate just how much of an anachronism this one is; its lavish, reverent production makes it feel like it belongs at least a decade or two earlier in movie history. And, truth to tell, I can admire a movie that almost willfully swims against the current of the trends of the time. I can also admire what the movie is trying to do, which is to take a classic fairy tale and flesh it out with a number of real-life themes that have a certain relevance to the story, such as class distinctions and the realities of royal betrothals; if there’s one thing I can say, it’s that a lot of thought went into this movie. Nevertheless, I must admit that my admiration mostly comes from a distance; I’m not particularly enchanted with either the classic movie musical or the Cinderella story, the musical numbers aren’t quite breathtaking enough to win me over, and much of the story speculation I find only mildly interesting. About the only time I really emotionally connected with the movie was when the Chamberlain is forced to undertake the delicate and unpleasant task of breaking up the impending marriage, and much of this has to do with the excellence of Kenneth More’s performance; I found the scene intensely moving, even while being aware it was simply setting up one final paper obstacle that would be easily be demolished by the movie’s ace in the hole (Cinderella does have a Fairy Godmother, after all). That the movie is well loved in some circles does not surprise me, but I’m afraid I was most struck with just how long it takes for things to get moving in the this two-and-a-half hour movie. Again, I wouldn’t say it was bad; I’d just say that it was not for me.

THE SHOUT (1978)
Article 3976 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 7-10-2012
Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski
Featuring Alan Bates, Susannah York, John Hurt
Country: UK
What it is: Odd horror movie

A musician and his wife find their home invaded by a stranger who claims to wield aboriginal magic, including a shout that is capable of killing people.

This strange, offbeat little horror film is something like a cross between THE LAST WAVE and CUL-DE-SAC, though in truth that doesn’t quite capture the vibe. It’s a difficult movie, and I’m not sure I quite understood all that was happening, but it does have a real sense of dread, and its use of sound to increase tension and build suspense is very striking. Alan Bates gives a great performance as the magic-wielding stranger, though the other performers (which include John Hurt, Susannah York, Tim Curry and Jim Broadbent) all do very well. Whatever its difficulties, the movie does draw me into a world that I haven’t been to before, and that’s always a plus, and this is one I will probably watch again when the opportunity arises.

THE SECRET OF THE BLACK WIDOW (1963)
aka Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Witwe
Article 3975 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 7-10-2012
Directed by Franz Josef Gottlieb
Featuring O.W. Fischer, Karin Dor, Klaus Kinski
Country: West Germany / Spain
What it is: Pseudo-krimi

Years ago, several members of a Mexican expedition came back rich, but with one of their members having died, supposedly due to the bite of a black widow spider. Now someone is picking off the surviving members of the expedition with poison darts shaped like black widow spiders. Could the culprit be the daughter of the man who never returned…?

You know you’ve become pretty familiar with a certain movie genre and style when you can watch an example of it and know that it’s made by other people than the ones you usually see. Granted, I always have to check to make sure; most of the krimis came from Rialto, and this one came from Germania. Despite the presence of some familiar krimi faces (most notably Klaus Kinski in a rare good guy role), the feel is different. For one thing, the plot is noticeably straightforward. Still, it is rather nice not to have to struggle to follow the story, as I have to do with some of the others, and the comic relief character is used rather sparingly. Unfortunately, the dubbing is a little weak, and it runs too long, which is especially noticeable during a somewhat protracted climax. Once again, the fantastic content is rather light; the method of murder has a slight horror feel to it, but that’s about all. This one is a mixed bag.

THE SCREAMING SKULL (1973)
TV-Movie
Article 3974 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 7-9-2012
Directed by Gloria Monty
Featuring Vincent Gardenia, Carrie Nye, David McCallum
Country: USA
What it is: Ghost story

An expert on craniology is estranged from his wife, but he fears to leave her because her money is what pays for his experiments. Then, using an idea given to him by his brother, he decides to do away with her in a way that will leave no evidence. But the spirits of those who die do not always rest easy…

I’ve not read the story by Frances Marion Crawford that serves as the basis for both this and the 1958 movie of the same name (though I should point out that the earlier movie does not officially credit the source), but I’m pretty sure at least one of them took liberties with the original story. However, both of them do deal with a spirit of the dead personified as a screaming skull. Personally, I’m glad to see the GASLIGHT plotline used in the earlier movie absent from this one, but I’m afraid neither one of these versions do much for me. At least part of the problem is that the first half of this movie does such a connect-the-dots job of setting up its story that you get bored waiting around for the scientist to actually kill his wife; you know he’s going to do it, you know how he’s going to do it, and you’re just waiting for him to get on with it. The second half is a little better, though it’s hardly unpredictable, but the whole “vengeance from the grave” story just never comes to life here. Furthermore, I found the contrast between the acting styles employed by David McCallum and Vincent Gardenia to be jarring; it’s hard to believe the characters are in the same movie, much less brothers. In the end, I just found this one rather dull.

SECRET AGENT X-9 (1945)
Serial
Article 3969 by Dave Sindelar
Directed by Lewis D. Collins and Ray Taylor
Featuring Lloyd Bridges, Keye Luke, Jan Wiley
Country: USA
What it is: Wartime spy serial

During WWII, an American secret agent stumbles upon a Japanese plot about which he knows only the number “722”. This takes him to a neutral island which is a hotbed of spy activity. Can he figure out the secret of 722 before it is too late?

For the record, 722 is the number of a compound created by an American scientist for a failed project to create a new explosive; the Japanese have discovered that the compound, when combined with distilled water, creates an artificial fuel, thus providing the fantastic content for this serial. This is not a spoiler; the opening scenes of the serial establish this before we even meet the main character, so the mystery elements of this serial are negligible. And I should also point out that the fantastic content is pure Gizmo Maguffin; outside of a short scene at the beginning where the fuel drives an engine for a short time, it’s only use is to give the spies something to fight over. This is a Universal serial, and like most of the Universal serials, it’s a bit on the talky side. However, it has a bit of star power to help it out (Lloyd Bridges), it manages to keep an acceptable balance between talk and action, the characters are more interesting than usual (especially the mysterious tiddlywinks player at the bar), and the plot is decent enough to keep things fun, though it does drag in a few of the middle episodes. It’s no classic, but it’s better than average serial entertainment.

SUPERMAN AND THE JUNGLE DEVIL (1954)
Article 3966 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 6-29-2012
Directed by George Blair and Thomas Carr
Featuring George Reeves, Noel Neill, and Jack Larson
Country: USA
What it is: Superhero saga edited from TV episodes

Three adventures of Superman are recounted. In the first, Superman must contend with a bank robber who is using a computer to plot his crimes. In the second, he must rescue a jungle expedition held captive by a native tribe. And in the third, he must contend with a con man who has proof of Superman’s real identity.

I’m cheating again; I actually haven’t found a print of this Superman movie edited from three episodes of “Adventures of Superman”. However, I just can’t bring myself to letting it fall into my “ones that got away” list when the vast majority of its footage can be found in the extant episodes of the TV series. In cases like these, I keep the movie in my hunt list until it’s about to move on to the other list (in the hopes that the actual movie might show up), and then I’ll watch the three episodes and have done with it.

The three episodes were “The Machine that Could Plot Crimes”, “Jungle Devil”, and “Shot in the Dark”. As is usually the case in instances like this, I try to see if there’s any link between the three episodes that might warrant a thematic reason they would go together. My link is pretty weak this time; it could be argued that all three of the episodes have fantastic content other than that of the existence of Superman. In the first, we have a super-computer capable of figuring out how to plot crimes, giving us a bit of science fiction content. The second has some horror touches in the fact that Superman has to face off with the “jungle devil”, which turns out to be a white gorilla (I only wish I could find a credit for who is playing him). The third is admittedly a stretch; when the villain is identified, he is a man who is believed to be already dead, which gives us the possibility of a “return from the dead” subplot; however, the story uses it only as the most minor of plot elements, so it really is marginal. There is a real strong link between the first and last stories, though; in both of them, the plot ends up hinging on criminals claiming to know the true identity of Superman. Fortunately, the TV series was very well done; I like the way they compensate for the lack of super-criminals by emphasizing the creative ways that Superman uses his various powers, especially in the middle story where he uses them to replace a diamond stolen from the eye of an idol. The third story is the weakest here; it seems particularly far-fetched, especially when Clark Kent explains how he was able to survive a point-blank gun shot and manages to convince them. Still, I can’t help thinking if they had to edit this TV show into movies, I’d rather they pick three episodes than do what they could have done, which is just pick the middle episode, and pad out the middle with safari footage to produce a Double-Stuffed Safari-O; after all, I have seen jungle movies with no more plot than just this episode.