Thriller-- The Lodger 1926

The Lodger
1926
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Ivor Novello- The Lodger
June Trip- Daisy Bunting




This early British foray into the Horror genre was Alfred Hitchcock's third film and his first thriller.

The movie opens with a screaming fair haired girl in closeup; the lights of a sign reflected in the water announce a theatrical production To-Night Golden Curls. The scene shifts back to the girl who lies murdered- the seventh vicitm of the Tuesday killer known as the Avenger.

The story The Lodger subtitled A Story of the London Fog is loosely based upon the Jack the Ripper murders.

While the London is consumed with reports of the Avenger, a stranger arrives at the home of an older couple, the Buntings, and their daughter, Daisy. Cloaked with his face half covered and carrying a black bag the ominous stranger has come to rent a room the couple has advertised.




It isn't long before the lodger's nightly comings and goings and other strange behaviors has raised the suspicion's of his landlord's. However, their daughter, Daisy, a lovely golden haired woman herself, becomes enchanted with the young lodger, much to the irritation of her boyfriend a detective who is working on the the Avenger case.




Hitchcock creates an eerie atmosphere using a variety of camera angles presenting a film with a nod to impressionism. Hitchcock relies on visuals and a limited number of title cards to tell the story. As he will continue to do throughout the rest of his career, he builds tension masterfully.

Early Hitchcock experiments can be seen in this film. For example, Hitchcock developed a glass floor for one original scene where the lodger is pacing back and forth so when the family downstairs looks up at the ceiling it becomes transparent revealing the shoes of the suspect.

Hitchcock gives us a forshadowing of his most famous scene to be revealed in Psycho thirty-four years later when we see Daisy strip down and take a bath while the lodger lurks outside her room.

Hitchcock also makes a cameo appearance toward the end of the film as a member of the mob who is attacking the lodger and Hitchcock's use of the Blonde is obvious.

In 1932, the film would be remade with sound and then again in 1944. If you have seen the 44 film, you haven't seen this one though as the film has a different ending.

Any Hitchcock fan should see The Lodger as it represents the beginning of the master's thriller career.

Thriller of the Week x 2

The Student of Prague
1926
Dir Henrik Galeen
Starring: Conrad Veidt and Werner Krauss
*Spoilers follow*

This remake of a 1913 version starring Paul Wegner is the story of a Balduin , the student, this time played by Conrad Veidt.

The film begins with a shot of a monument and ends with the same shot but with the inscription readable on a title card, "This monument is dedicated to Balduin, the best fencer in Prague. He gambled with evil and lost. Pray for the redemption of his soul, you wanderer. Adieu, Balduin"

The story picks up in 1826 where the ever popular, Balduin is running low on funds and finds himself dissatisfied with his current position. He is approached by Scapinelli, a mysterious stranger, played by Krauss (He played Dr. Caligari alongside Veidt in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari). Scapinelli makes Balduin an offer of money and Balduin remarks he really needs a rich woman.

A hunt is held by the wealthy Count Schwarzenberg. His daughter, Margaret, and fiance, a Baron are partaking in the festivities. Scapinelli reveals himself as having supernatural powers by standing on a hill and controlling the pace of the hunt and particularly Margaret's horse. He causes the horse to throw her just as Balduin comes upon her. Balduin rescues the young woman coming into her good graces and a rivalry with her fiance begins. Balduin's lack of money is a barrier to his attempts to court Margaret and Scapinelli makes him a deal. Scapinelli offers him 600,00 gold crowns for anything that can be found in Balduin's room. The deal is made and Scapinelli amazingly produces the coins. Scapinelli begins to look around the room for what he wants in exchange and stops at the full length mirror. In the mirror is Balduin's reflection and it is what Scapinelli wants in return. Balduin entreats the reflection to seperate from Balduin and leave the mirror. The doppleganger leaves with Scapinelli.

Balduin wastes no time spending the money. Making charitable donations and buys a house and then begins to seriously sway Margaret.

The rivalry between Balduin and her fiance intensifies and results in a proposed fencing duel between the two, a bad idea for the Baron. Count Schwarzenberg pleads Balduin to spare the life of the young Baron. Balduin gives his word he will not kill the him.

Balduin's doppleganger, however feels no compunction to honor Balduin's word and shows up in place of Balduin and kills Margaret's fiance. This ruins Balduin's reputation and the reflection goes on to continue finding ways to wreck Balduin's life.

The story ends when Balduin confronts his relection in front of the mirror. He shoots the doppleganger and the mirror breaks as the bullet seemingly passes through the doppleganger/ reflection. The doppleganger disappears but Balduin collapses to the floor gripping his chest. He dies looking at his reflection returned in the broken mirror.


No doubt the greatest improvement over the 1913 version is the substitution of Conrad Veidt in the title role. Though Paul Wegner was a formidable horror star in the early silents, Veidt was a master. In my opinion, only Chaney surpasses Veidt's talents and screen presence. Movies were also generally better made 13 years after the original.


The Student of Prague would be made again but this in my mind is the definitive version.

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Black Moon
1934
Director: Roy William Neil
Starring: Fay Wray & Jack Holt

Occaisonally an unexpected treat comes along and such was the case this week. Rarely do I come across a horror film (particularly from the classic period) I'm unfamiliar with. Though I'm not an expert of the genre like say a Tom Weaver who has wrote extensive books on the horror genre or a William Everson who taught classes in universities about the genre, I still have been a fan for nearly 50 years and have given presentations at a local convention on the genre including "The Evolution of the Universal Monster", "An Introduction to the British Horror Film", "Universal & Hammer an Analytical Comparison"and "The Concept of Horror In the Doctor Who Universe". My collection of Horror films numbers near 1500 and is represented by films from all over the world. Yet, I dare say I miss one from time to time.

While reading an article in Monsters From the Vault 28 about Roy William Neil, who directed most of the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies as well as various horror movies, a short paragraph mentioned his first horror film- Black Moon- starring Jack Holt and Fay Wray. "What is this?" I thought. I couldn't believe I hadn't come across this movie, particularly when my favorite heroine from the classic horror period, Fay Wray, was starring. I was humbled. I quickly got out my Encyclopedia of the Horror Film, a tome where nearly every horror film, through the early 90s of worth is listed and commented on. I didn't find a listing. I felt a little less stupid.
It wasn't long before I found myself engaged in searching for a copy of the film. I got hold of a copy recorded from a TCM broadcast and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the film.






The movie concerns a woman, Juanita, with a devoted husband, Stephen played by Holt, and daughter. She is drawn to go back to the Caribbean Island of San Christopher where she was raised. Early on she is seen compusively drumming out the sounds of the island's natives. Her husband agrees to send her back to the island for a holiday. Her uncle who still resides on the island tries to send a warning to keep her away, as the natives too have become restless, but the message is intercepted.

Juanita, along with her daughter, her daughter's nanny and Stephen's secretery Gail (Fay Wray), who is sent to protect Juanita, embarks on the island.
They are greeted by her uncle who appears to be cruel to the island's natives. He is concerned Juanita's presence will only further rile the natives. The native's treat Juanita as a goddess. Her uncle explains she was "poisoned by the voodoo" as a child.
Stephen responds to a request to come and take his wife home but finds himself trapped on the island with the others after his arrival.
The natives are presented as threatening, superstitious and eventually they begin partaking in voodoo rites and human sacrifice.
A particular treat is the fine performance of Clarence Muse as the boat man named "Lunch". He is the lone sympathetic black character and his character is easily appreciated.
The movie fits nicely between the better known "White Zombie" and Val Lewton's "I Walked with a Zombie" though no Zombies make an appearance, there is much similarity with the latter.
Jack Holt and Fay Wray turn in excellect performances, and the building atmosphere, including the incessant sound of drums and pace of the film make this a true gem worth discovery.

Thriller of the Week- The Monster

In 1925, Lon Chaney not only made The Phantom of the Opera but he also starred as the heavy in a film called The Monster. The movie is one of the first examples of the horror-comedy. Johnny Arthur supplies the comedy element in the film playing, Johnny Goodlittle, a store clerk with aspirations of becoming a detective.

As fate would have it, the mysterious disappearance of John Bowman, a wealthy member of the community baffles the local constable at the scene of his abandoned,wrecked vehicle. Johnny, a milktoast of a man and his rival Amos Rugg have accompanied the constable. What the investigators don't know is what the viewers saw at the beginning of the film. Bowman's car accident was no accident. A shrouded figure had been lurking at the roadside and when Bowman's vehicle came down the road, Rigo (as he would come to be known) lowered a mirror in the roadway causing Bowman to think an oncoming car was going to crash into him. Bowman swerved and wrecked the car. A secret tunnel opened in the ground and Bowman was carried away.

Johnny stumbles upon a clue at the crash site. It points to the local sanitarium, but he is ignored by the constable and Amos.

We soon learn of Johnny's love interest in the beautiful Betty Watson the general store owner's daughter, played by Gertrude Olmstead who is being courted by Amos.

At the conclusion of a party, Amos drives away with Betty and Johnny is left walking home when he runs into a strange man and begins following him. Rigo, again sets up his mirror trap and this time it is Amos and Betty who fall victim to it. The man Johnny is following is also part of the scheme and Johnny sees the wreck and he too falls into the hidden tunnel trap in the ground and then Johnny, Amos and Betty all tumble into the sanctum of the asylum where the patients have taken over the asylum and are led by Dr. Ziska, played by Chaney.

From here the story plays out like an Old Dark House mystery and Johnny must use his ingenuity to free Betty, Amos and himself.

Ziska (Chaney) and Rigo

The movie is more comedy than horror and Chaney takes a back seat to Arthur because of it. Chaney does a good job of portraying menace, however. Chaney's expressions add menace to the line Ziska states after his captive guests ask him "Doctor, shall we see you in the morning?"

Ziska's response, "Who knows if one will ever see the morning."

Amos, Betty and Johnny survive Ziska's trap

All in all The Monster is a pleasurable 86 minute film and it helped pave the way for later horror comedies.

Thriller of the Week- Warning Shadows

Schatten: Eine Nachtliche Halluzination

Warning Shadows A Nocturnal Hallucination

1923

Director: Arthur Robeson

I had only known of this film from reading the entry in the Overlook Film Encyclopedia- Horror Edition until recently when I decided to watch it the other night. In spite of no intertitles and a slow introduction of the characters before the story begins, I quickly found myself mesmerized by the images flashing before me. Interestingly this happens to the characters in the story when a travelling showman arrives and puts on a shadowplay for the observers.

Prior to the showman's arrival we witness a man and his wife hosting a dinner party. The woman's vanity is on display as she primps in front of mirrors and flirts with the guests. In one particular scene, she stands in front of a room divider posing for three of her male guests. The men approach her shadow imposed on the wall and begin to fondle the shadow pervertedly. From another room, the woman's husband watches the shadows of the men interacting with her shadow . The trick of the lighting creating the illusion of the men actually groping his wife.

The woman obviously likes the attention she is receiving by all of the men who have come to the party. During dinner one particular young man begins to make subtle advances and the husband begins to show some signs of jealousy and irritation. The entertainer arrives and begins to present a shadowplay. During the play, something comes over the audience (the characters' shadows blend into their bodies, which are transported to the other side of the table. A collective vision ensues which begins the second half of the film as the mass hallucination reveals what the outcome of the woman's flirting and her husband's resultant jealousy will reap.

Shadows and reflections abound in this film, creating a hallucinatory atmosphere for the viewer. It is highly stylized and is another good example of German Expressionism.

Metropolis 1927

I haven't seen Avatar and have very little desire to do so, but I did get to see the best science fiction film of 2010, as it was in 1927- Metropolis.

I recently had a chance to see the fully restored version and am so impressed I couldn't wait to jot down a few of my thoughts.

I don't remember much of my first viewing of Metropolis. I was much younger and hadn't yet come to appreciate silent films. I didn't care for it much. Looking back, there was much to dislike. The film was disjointed, at times illogical and difficult to follow. This isn't surprising since well over 30 minutes of the film had been cut from what had premiered in Berlin back in 1927. Fritz Lang's vision had been butchered and the missing footage had been thought lost forever.

Freder and Maria (The wonderful Brigitte Helm who would play both the good girl as well as the robotic bad girl)

Numerous attempts had been made to restore the film starting in the 1980s. My admiration for Metropolis began with a 1984 restoration by Giorgio Moroder. Moroder was able to restore some of the missing scenes and interspersed stills and art to fill in for some of the missing footage. Most of all he introduced a soundtrack made up of pop/ rock music from contemporary artists like Queen and Pat Benatar. The music added a whole new life to the film and helped move the story along in spite of the missing footage.

In 2001 the film was digitally restored with the original orchestral score by the Murnau Foundation. Its running time of 124 minutes was the most complete version of the film to date. It was a beautful restoration. The art direction, special effects and Karl Freund's groundbreaking camerawork could be appreciated more fully.

(The vast underground machines run by the downtrodden workers of Metropolis)

In 2008 a copy of the film was discovered in Argentina. This copy though in very rough shape, contained nearly every minute of lost footage. It was sent to the Murnau Foundation and the additional footage was spliced back into the 2001 edition and for the first time since 1927 Metropolis was presented as originally intended by Fritz Lang.

Just over a week ago this restored version was presented on Turner Classic Movies and I now have an even greater admiration for not only what is one of the greatest science fiction films of all time but what may be one of the greatest films period. Even now this film comes across as groundbreaking.

(Rotwang and the machine-man prior to giving it the image of Maria)

The added footage is essential for this story. The film is much more fluid. It transitions appropriately but best of all so much more is revealed. New subplots are revealed. New characters are introduced. Characters are more complex. The character of Rotwang, for example, is merely a mad scientist in the previous versions, but in this restored version his motivations, and how they effect his relationship with Joh Fredersen, the manager of Metropolis, are revealed. I will refrain from telling more details and plot points here as I wouldn't want to spoil any piece of this incredible movie.

(Who is this mysterious figure not seen since the film was orginally presented)

If you desire to read more about the plot and other aspects of the film, the Wikipedia entry is well put together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(film)

For more on the film and the new restoration go to

http://www.kino.com/metropolis/main.html

Next week a return to 1923

Thriller- The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

Thriller of the Week:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923

Dir: Wallace Worsley
Starring: Lon Chaney
with: Patsey Ruth Miller


To say The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a horror movie is in reality a stretch. It should be considered more rightly a historical drama. Nevertheless, it has been thought of as a horror movie for some time. I even had the Aurora monster model of the Hunchback as a kid. Need there be more proof.

The story takes place during the reign of Louis the IX in Paris. The Hunchback is the bellringer at the cathedral of Notre Dame. As the title cards declare, he is "Deaf- half blind-shut off from his fellow men by his defornities. The bells were the only voice of his groping soul." Another card declared "To the townspeople he was an inhuman freak, a monsterous joke of nature-- and for their jeers he gave them scorn and bitter hate." Lon Chaney did a remarkable job playing both of these Quasimodo traits. He was able to aptly portray the tortured sympathetic hunchback and at the same time give Quasimodo a resultant hatred for those he was in conflict with.

Chaney's makeup for Quasimodo is famous including a reported 40-70 pound hump he carried on his back. Chaney's athleticism again is showcased as he climbs ropes and leaps around with the added weight-- a truly remarkable performance.

The film tries to include the many subplots of Victor Hugo's novel, including the mad woman who 's child had been kidnapped by gypsies and turns out to be Esmeralda's long lost mother.
Another subplot centered around Clopin the "King of the Beggars" who leads the townspeople to a revolt and a stampede of the cathedral.

But the main crust of the film surrounds the beautiful Esmeralda, played by Patsey Ruth Miller, and the trio of men who all desire her.
Jehan lusted after Esmeralda, Quasimodo loved her for the kindness she showed him and Phoebus, a soldier, fell in love with her at first sight and she returned her love to him.

A particularly famous and moving scene involves Quasimodo after being sentenced to flogging is chained to a wheel in the center of town and he is beaten. The scourging and Quasimodo's cry out of "I Thirst" might cause some to recall Christ's scourging. It is Esmeralda who takes drink to the beaten hunchback.

The story depicts the injustice of the king's court again when after Jehan stabs Phoebus, Esmeralda is framed for the crime and she is "put to the question" as was synonomous with middle ages torture. She eventually confesses to the crime under torture and it is up to Quasimodo to rescue her from her fate.

The movie was considered a "Super Jewell" for Universal and became a super success in 1923.
Irving Thalberg was behind the production and he "had to convince Carl Laemmle to approve a number of Cinematic firsts: a six month shooting schedule; nineteen acres of sets, including streets with real cobblestones and a cathedral facade built to last; the hiring of a thousand technicians and the rental of every arc light in Hollywood for the filming of hundreds of extras in the biggest night-for-night scenes yet staged; a weekly salary of $2,500 for Chaney; and the unheard of budget of $1,250,00."1

1. Hollywood Gothic from Gothic to Cosmic, Mark A Vieira, 2003, Henry N Abrams Inc.

Thriller of the Week-- HAXAN

Thriller of the week: HAXAN (Witchcraft Through the Ages)

Director: Benjamin Christensen

year: 1922

Haxan is at its core a documentary of Witchcraft and the Inquisition. Danish film-maker Benjamin Christensen told the history of witchcraft and the inquisition at times using what can best be described as slide show presentations combined with dramatizations with the title cards used to narrate. When the film was later developed for American audiences and titled Witchcraft Through the Ages in the 1960's a narrator's voice over is used to describe the content. Haxan is divided into 7 chapters.

The first chapter is a lecture using paintings, drawings, woodcuts and models to relate the beginnings of the superstitions and history of demons, witches and Hell.

The film then dramatizes a number of vignettes regarding the superstitions. We see a witch preparing a concoction of toads and snakes when a local woman approaches her for a love potion.

The witch tells her the brew would need to be made of "Cat feces and dove hearts boiled in the moonlight". Another vignette depicts body snatchers and then a number of dramatizations take place showing interactions with the Devil.

"So it happens with witchcraft as with the devil; peoples belief inhim was so

strong that he became real. The devil is everywhere and takes all shapes. He shows

himself as a nightmare, a raging demon, a seducer, a lover and as a knight."

Some of these dramatizations included Satan enticing a woman out of her bed, black mass rituals including witches kissing Satan's ass, and one depicting a witch giving birth to a brood of demons after succombing to Satan. (This long before Rosemary's Baby)

Another acted out scene showed two witches putting a curse on a home by pulling up their skirts, urinating into bowls and then throwing the urine on the doors of the house.

The next chapters deal more with the inquisition during the middle ages and the abuse of power by the Roman Catholic Church. Finally the movie concludes by showing the modern day scientific explanations for persons who in an earlier time would have been called witches but then condemns the modern day practices of placing many of those individuals in nursing homes and lunatic asylums.

Christensen is attempting to show that Witchcraft was mere superstition and those accused of participating in it were misunderstood. His argument though isn't supported by the dramatizations. What the film has going for it most is style. The images in the vignettes are truly frightening and at times disgusting even shocking by today's standards.

For an excellent review of the film go to:

http://classic-horror.com/reviews/haxan_1922

Short Takes

One thing I've discovered is writing a blog is 1. addicting and 2. time consuming. Since my job is consuming about 50 or more hours a week, I really don't have the time to do the blog justice. Yet, I keep thinking of things I would like to write about. What I'm going to try to do on a regular basis is give weekly short updates on a few topics and when I have extra time devote more attention to the things I want to expound on. If I can at least get the short takes in, I think it will satisfy my need for a post fix.

I've entitled my first take: What I Heard in Church this Week I have been attending the Eagle Creek Grace Brethren Church on the NorthWest side of Indianapolis for 33 years and have had the privilege of listening to some of the best Bible teaching available. Pastor Paul Woodruff has devoted himself to the Word of God and his teaching has been a great blessing and has helped equip me in the faith. I thought I would briefly recap Pastor Paul's message by posting the main Bullitt points with appropriate scripture references. When I have the time I might add my own thoughts.

My second take will continue through football season: Colts Recap will be an attempt to give my short analysis of the week's Colt's Game. I may also add thoughts on other NFL games also.

Last but not least will be my attempt to present a short paragraph or two about my favorite genre of movies-- horror and all it's subgenres. I'll call it Thriller of the Week I will start with the very first horror movie and work my way through history. My horror movie collection dates back to 1896 with movies from all over the world.

These short takes may come all in one post or may come seperately.

So here goes,

What I Heard in Church This Week:

Message Title: Labor Laws
by Pastor Paul Woodruff
Date of Messgae 9/5/2010

4 Labor Laws To Live By

1.) The Law of Integrity Epesians 6:5-6,
God is more interested in how I work than what I do

2.) The Law of Priority Isaiah 58:13-14, Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Work shouldn't be prioritized over Health, Family or God
The Sabbath was made for us to Rest and give Worship to God
This particular part of the message convicted me. On Sundays, I usually stop in at work before I go to church. This has interfered with my attending Sunday School. My place of work is only a couple of blocks away from my church and I've found it convenient to stop in and get a jump start on Mondays. Because I have some commitments I am resposible for, I may not be able to completely stop going in. But I can limit some of it and I don't have to let it interfere with my Sunday School attendance.

3.) The Law of Security Psalm 62
Our efforts are not the guarantee of our security. The Lord is our Ultimate security

4.) The Law of Identity
In the work place value is palced on the bottom line (performance oriented) This causes people to evaluate others by their accomplishments causing too many people to find their value in their jobs
We are not what we do-- everyone has value & our value lies with Jesus

Colts Recap:
The preseason is over and now we can get down to real football. Again, the Colts record in the preseason was abominable. This year going 0-4. This is nothing new and not to cause worry. Since 2005 the Colts have only won 4 preseason games. In contrast, the Colts have the best regular season record in the League since 1999. They have won 6 of the past 7 AFC South titles. Over the past 7 seasons they have won at least 12 of their 16 regular season games (an NFL record)and have been to 2 Super Bowls and won one.

Thriller of the Week:
Le Manoir du Diable (The House of the Devil)
George Melies
1896

This film has the trappings of horror with a sinister dwarf, a skeleton and dancing phantoms. A bat flies about transforming into "the devil" who conjures up a cauldron and a woman who comes forth from the cauldron. "The devil" is then pitted against two gentlemen who come into his home. One of the men flees in terror as strange happenings begin, and the other must face "the devil." In the final confrontation the gentleman finds a cross and vanquishes "the devil".

Melies most famous film would be A Trip to the Moon made in 1902. Le Manoir du Diable probably should be considered the first horror film. Considering the bat changing into a man and vice versa and his banishment by a cross, it could be considered the first vampire film. Meleis was a magician and this film is an outgrowth of his work on the stage. It is filled with stop tricks (filming objects then while the camera is stopped moving them out of view making it appear as if the object disappears when the film is started)

View the film below