Who says a horror movie has to be scary? 1932's The Old Dark House sure isn't. Any horror is purely coincidental. Any real plot is purely coincidental as well. But danged if it isn't fun as all get-out. It all opens on a dark and stormy night, of course, with Philip Waverton (Raymond Massey), his wife, Margaret … Continue reading Welcome To the Fun House
Eddie Poe Goes To Camp
Spooky, scary skeletons, and shivers down your spine... When we think of Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven, we all think of the forlorn, unnamed narrator trying to shoo away that pesky bird as it perches itself on the pallid bust of Pallas, always and only uttering that single word, "Nevermore." Thoughts of lost Lenore are shelved for … Continue reading Eddie Poe Goes To Camp
Abbott and Costello Meet…
Abbott and Costello were quite the duo, of course, and they sure got around, even into some of Universal's best horror franchises. Actually, I should rephrase that. They met pretty much everyone, and if anyone hasn't seen the "Abbott and Costello Meet..." series, well, here's a treat. I've seen three of the five and the … Continue reading Abbott and Costello Meet…
How To Make A Sequel
We all know there's a way to make a sequel and a way not to make a sequel, and 1935's The Bride of Frankenstein is a sequel that mostly got it right, because it both revisits what came before and does it one better. I know I'm not the first one to say this but it … Continue reading How To Make A Sequel
Brave Walter Mitty
I'll see you in my dreams... I remember reading "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" in the eighth grade because my lit teacher, Mz. Howell was a big James Thurber fan (Yes, she spelled her "Ms." with a "Z." She was a fun lady.). Anyway, the story was originally published in the March 18, 1939 … Continue reading Brave Walter Mitty
Five Reasons To See “Frankenstein”
Everybody knows who Frankenstein's monster is. Let's be honest. He's as notorious as Dracula with an almost equally formidable filmography. We'll go into that another time with a proper "Page To Screen," but today we're only interested in the 1931 Universal classic and why it's worth watching. Frankenstein came out ten months after Dracula and Universal Studios … Continue reading Five Reasons To See “Frankenstein”
Stage To Screen: Arsenic and Old Lace
Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic play and film, a slightly macabre mix of black humor and irony. Written by Joseph Kesselring, its original run on Broadway was 1,444 performances, and it still holds up today. The story initially seems very simple, but it likes to grab the viewer with lots of gotchas, done so … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Arsenic and Old Lace
Taking Up Room 