Movie List S

Secret of the Blue Room (1933)

SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM (1933)
Article #1079 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-27-2004
Posting Date: 7-26-2004
Directed by Kurt Neumann
Featuring Lionel Atwill, Gloria Stuart, Paul Lukas

In order to prove their bravery, three suitors to a beautiful woman decide to each spend a night in the blue room, which has resulted in the death of all who have stayed in it.

This movie has been remade twice; five years later as THE MISSING GUEST, and then another six years after that as MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM. My local Creature Feature must have shown all the movies at one point, because I remember being inundated by several movies about this mysterious blue room. The story itself is rather ordinary, and the solution to the mystery of how people seem to magically appear in this blue room is rather obvious, but it’s helped by a surprisingly impressive cast (Lionel Atwill, Gloria Stuart, Paul Lukas, Edward Arnold and Onslow Stevens) and an exciting ending. This being primarily a mystery with horror elements rather than a horror movie, you can safely expect the usual red herrings. Incidentally, this movie appears to be a remake itself of a German movie called GEHEIMNIS DES BLAUEN ZIMMERS.

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Savages (1972)

SAVAGES (1972)
Article #1078 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-26-2004
Posting Date: 7-25-2004
Directed by James Ivory
Featuring Lewis J. Stadlen, Anne Francine, Thayer David

(Plot description)…?

The movie opens with several primitive natives (the Mud People) frolicking (if that is the correct word) around the forest. They are distracted from their activities (such as they are) by a croquet ball. This eventually leads them to a deserted mansion, which they then inhabit. They place the croquet ball in a container in front of a statue, and then try on the clothes they see lying around.

At this point, the savages become civilized; I originally though that the action had switched to the present (due to the abruptness of the transition), but I have since been informed that such is not the case. Still, one would think things would start making more sense at this point, but no such luck. The residents talk with each other, play croquet, mate, perform odd rituals, have a dinner party, play cellos, drown, dance to “Sitting on the Spaniel”, commit suicide, and finally vanish into the woods hitting their croquet balls ahead of them. I hope I haven’t given away the plot.

So what we have here is one of those abstract films along the lines of BLOOD OF A POET and INAUGURATION OF THE PLEASURE DOME. No, I can’t explain it, but I do have to admit it held my attention throughout, though your mileage may vary. It’s a Merchant Ivory Production, and though I’ve never actually seen one of their movies previous to this one, this is certainly not what I would have expected from what I’ve heard about them (other than the fact that the movie was destined for the artier houses). It’s probably a fantasy, but that’s most likely because it isn’t anything else. The cast features Sam Waterston and Ultra Violet, and the script was co-written by Michael O’Donoghue, who would later produce “Saturday Night Live”.

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Santa Claus (1959)

SANTA CLAUS (1959)
Article #1065 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-13-2004
Posting Date: 7-12-2004
Directed by Rene Cardona
Featuring Jose Elias Morena, Jose Luis Aguirre, Cesareo Quezadas ‘Pulgarcito’

Santa Claus prepares for his yearly delivery of presents, but must deal with the the dastardly machinations of a devil named Pitch sent to foil him.

In the United States, we have a certain vision of Santa Claus that is not necessarily shared by that of other countries. In this Mexican take on the legend, Santa does not live at the North Pole; he lives on a cloud. He does not have elves helping him out; instead, children from all nations help him with making gifts, though they seem to spend an inordinate amount of time singing (very badly) songs from their native countries. The reindeer aren’t real; they’re mechanical, and they turn to dust when the sunlight hits them. It actually takes a bit of work to adjust to these differences, but this being a Mexican movie, there are plenty of other weirdnesses to deal with. In fact, here is a list of striking moments and memories from watching this bizarre kiddie movie.

1) The opening musical number features Santa boogieing out on a cheap-sounding organ while children from all nations sing. It’s like a cross between “It’s a Small World After All” and the most amateur grade school Christmas pageant you’ve ever seen.

2) The most surreal dancing devil sequence this side of HELLZAPOPPIN’.

3) It’s creepy enough seeing the mechanical reindeer jerkily coming to life when Santa winds them up, but when one of them starts laughing, you just might want to grab your smelling salts.

4) Listening to Santa ponder the possibility of replacing his reindeer with sputniks.

5) Watching Santa work out in weight-reducing machine (you know, the kind with the vibrating strap) so that he can fit down chimneys.

6) Watching the little girl Lupita tormented by creepy dancing dolls trying to convince her that she must take up stealing.

7) An actually quite touching sequence where Santa allows a lonely young boy to see him as he really is.

8) Watching Santa at work on the strange machine on the observation deck; it has an ear attached to a fan, an eye at the end of a metal conduit, and a pair of creepy lips that talk.

9) The climax of the movie features Santa in a real predicament. He’s been treed by a dog.

10) That prancing, skinny devil is the stuff of nightmares.

Inspiriational line: “Hurry, Mr. Merlin. This is no time to play horsey. Santa’s in danger!”

My conclusion? I have none. Movies like this are so bizarre they almost defy analysis. There are creepy moments, touching moments, jaw-dropping hilarious moments, and dull stretches, all jumbled together in a way that is unique. And in its own way, it’s pretty irresistible. I can only thank Mexico for making movies like this and K. Gordon Murray for having undertaken to bring them to us. It hardly matters if the movies are good or bad; just the watching of them are experiences to be reckoned with.

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Sabaka (1954)

SABAKA (1954)
(a.k.a. THE HINDU)
Article #1064 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-12-2004
Posting Date: 7-11-2004
Directed by Frank Ferrin
Featuring Nino Marcel, Boris Karloff, Lou Krugman

A young Hindu elephant trainer wants to take vengeance on a fire cult for the death of his sister.

There are several familiar faces to be found in this exotic adventure tale; Boris Karloff and Victor Jory are on hand, and it’s nice to actually see the face of June Foray, who is primarily known for her voice work throughout the years. Unfortunately, they’re all consigned to fairly minor roles. The star is Nino Marcel, and the only credit I see for the rest of his career is as a regular on the Andy Devine kiddie show, “Andy’s Gang” playing the same character. For that matter, Foray also appeared on “Andy’s Gang”, as did Lou Krugman, who played a Maharajah in both places. Isn’t it interesting the things a little research will dredge up?

Originally, I thought this was shot in India, because the exotic locations and animals steal the show; apparently, such is not the case. Unfortunately, the story is dullish and uninspired, and Marcel just doesn’t have the star appeal of Sabu. It’s only marginally horror, and that’s due only to the fire cult elements. Karloff plays a general and has maybe three minutes of screen time altogether. It’s a curiosity, to be sure, but little more than that.

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Sherlock Holmes (1932)

SHERLOCK HOLMES (1932)
Article #1057 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-5-2004
Posting Date: 7-4-2004
Directed by William K. Howard
Featuring Clive Brook, Miriam Jordan, Ernest Torrence

Sherlock Holmes must track down his old enemy Moriarty to prevent him from taking revenge on those who sent him to prison and beginning a new crime wave.

This Sherlock Holmes movie takes several risks with the character; it takes place in modern times, Holmes is given a girlfriend, and at one point he dresses up as a little old lady in one of his disguises. Fortunately, the movie itself is so witty that the only problem I have is with the girlfriend. I even forgive a longish sequence which gets away from the main story and concentrates on a tavern owner who finds himself the target of a protection racket, largely because the stoic stiff-upper-lip attitude of the character results in one of the funniest scenes in the movie. Ernest Torrence is a great Moriarty; he is definitely one of the best I’ve seen in the role. Clive Brook plays Holmes, and Reginal Owens plays Dr. Watson; Owens would go on to play Holmes himself in the next year’s A STUDY IN SCARLET. Overall, this is a fun if occasionally bizarre take on the story, what with the subplot of Moriarty trying to adopt the methods of the American gangsters in his plots. However, the fantastic elements are fairly nonexistent, so it really only belongs marginally to the covered genres here.

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Shadow of Terror (1945)

SHADOW OF TERROR (1945)
Article #1055 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 2-3-2004
Posting Date: 7-2-2004
Directed by Lew Landers
Featuring Richard Fraser, Grace Gillern Albertson, Cy Kendall

A scientist develops amnesia after being thrown from a train, and tries to recover in a small western town. Unfortunately, crooks aren’t finished with him yet…

Could this be the first atomic bomb movie? It’s your basic poverty row thriller with the prize at stake being the possession of the secret to the atomic bomb. Historically, it’s pretty silly in concept, but if you take it on its own terms, it’s not too bad. It’s got some tense moments, a truly nasty villain, and something you don’t often find in movies in this series; an honest-to-goodness colorful toothless western sidekick played by Emmett Lynn. Now I know that the desert is a place where many A-bombs were tested, and it’s also a place where you’re apt to find colorful western sidekicks, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen them together in the same movie. At any rate, I will have to admit that I have an inordinate fondness for western sidekicks, and I would love to have been one. However, I do think I would have opted to keep my teeth.

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A Strange Adventure (1932)

A STRANGE ADVENTURE (1932)
(a.k.a. WAYNE MURDER CASE)
Article #1052 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 1-31-2004
Posting Date: 6-29-2004
Directed by Hampton Del Ruth and Paul Whitman
Featuring Regis Toomey, June Clyde, Lucille La Verne

A murder is committed at the signing of a will, and a policeman comes in to investigate.

What we have here is a spooky old house, a cranky old man surrounded by money-hungry relatives, a will, a cursed diamond, a killer wandering around in a monk’s robe, and a cop trying to get his reporter girlfriend to marry him while she tries to investigate on her own. Combine this with some comic relief cops, a black manservant who is cowardly and stuttering, no music other than during the credits, and slow cue pick-up, and what do you have? Why, you have your typical forgotten horror, and not one of the more interesting ones at that. It’s mostly of note for having Dwight Frye on hand in a small role. It’s the sort of thing I’ve seen many times before, and I’m afraid this one doesn’t really add much new to the mix.

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The Song of Bernadette (1943)

THE SONG OF BERNADETTE (1943)
Article #1050 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 1-29-2004
Posting Date: 6-27-2004
Directed by Henry King
Featuring Jennifer Jones, William Eyther, Charles Bickford

A poverty-stricken girl in the French city of Lourdes sees visions of the Virgin Mary in a grotto near a rubbish heap.

I may not be a particularly religious person, but I can appreciate the power of faith and belief and the way it has of transforming the lives of those who possess them. I can also appreciate exquisite film-making, and this movie is definitely an example of the latter; despite a running time of two and a half hours, I was unable to tear myself away from it. It touches on so many resonant issues; at one time or another, you can find yourself relating to any one of the myriad characters with different beliefs, from the simple and sincere belief of Bernadette herself to the scoffing scepticism of the Imperial Prosecutor to the bitter jealousy of the Sister who can’t bring herself to believe. This is helped by a wealth of great performances, so many that I barely know where to start. Jennifer Jones as Bernadette, Gladys Cooper as Sister Marie Therese, Charles Bickford as the Dean of Lourdes, Lee J. Cobb as the doctor who maintains an open mind on the matter, Aubrey Mather as the mayor whose sole interest is in the prosperity of the town (and himself), and, of course, Vincent Price in a tremendous performance as Vital Detour, the Imperial Prosecutor who sets his mind on destroying the credibility of Bernadette. Perhaps the most surprising thing I found about the movie was the wealth of humor to be found; there’s something frankly hilarious at watching the lame attempts of the powers-that-be trying to cope with an event that is beyond their comprehension. The movie is powerful, moving, and gives one much food for thought on the differences between the worlds of the mystical and the mundane.

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Sleeping Beauty (1959)

SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959)
Article #1048 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 1-27-2004
Posting Date: 6-25-2004
With the voices of Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, and Eleanor Audley

A wicked witch places a spell on a newly-born princess so that she will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall asleep for years.

This was Walt Disney’s most expensive animated feature to date, and there are indeed times where the visuals are audacious and breathtaking; I am particularly taken with the animation in the opening sequence, which actually looks like it owes a little to UPA. One problem the movie does have, however, is that certain characters, setpieces, situations and visuals kept reminding of earlier Disney features that I liked a little better, particularly SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, FANTASIA, and CINDERELLA. The characters aren’t particularly memorable this time out, with the primary exception being that of Maleficient and her crow companion; she may be the scariest of the witches to ever grace a Disney feature, and her final sequence in which she turns into a dragon and battles the prince is a definite high point in the movie.

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Sleeper (1973)

SLEEPER (1973)
Article #1047 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 1-26-2004
Posting Date: 6-24-2004
Directed by Woody Allen
Featuring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, John Beck

A nerdish health-food owner is accidentally frozen cryogenically, and is then revived two hundred years later to help a resistance group do battle with a totalitarian regime.

For me, Woody Allen blows hot and cold. I’m quite fond of some of his comedies, particularly TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN and LOVE AND DEATH, but I’ve always felt this foray into science fiction was something of a disappointment. The problem is that the movie tries to be several things at once; it’s part wild comedy inspired by the silent comedians (notice how many of the slapstick gags consist of music and visuals without talk or sound effects), part satire on life in the ’70s, part sci-fi spoof, and part Woody in his usual neurotic mode. For me, the satire works best; my favorite moment has Woody’s character being asked to comment on a variety of photographs and film clips from the twentieth century. The wild silent-era-style comedy is sporadic; certain comic moments would have worked better if he had shortened them. The sci-fi spoof elements are likeable but occasionally obvious (Woody dealing with a Hal-like computer, Woody fighting a giant blob-like pudding), though he does a great job in trying to imitate a robot. It’s his use of the standard Woody Allen persona that I find distracting and out of place here; the constant bickering about Luna’s attraction to the handsome Erno gets tiring very quickly. Ultimately, I think it was Woody’s desire to really explore that persona that eventually led him away from comedy like this. Nonetheless, this is probably the Woody Allen movie that most belongs to the category of fantastic cinema.

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