50. THE WOLF MAN (1941)
Dir - George WaggnerEven a man who is pure in heart and all that jazz
The legend of Larry Talbot was born here and continued in four sequels for Universal, each one a little sillier than the last) As opposed to Universal’s other signature horror baddies in Dracula, the Mummy, and the Frankenstein monster who all had different actors eventually portray them in future sequels, the Wolf Man was solely done by the lovable Lon Chaney Jr. The man would not give up the character and channels his old man’s, (that’s Lon Chaney Senior for those ignorant to film history), willingness to undergo laborious and painful make-up transformations, handled once again by Universal’s ace-in-the-hole Jack Pierce. Both Béla Lugosi and Claude Rains bring some class to the table, (the former as the gypsy who is host to the werewolf curse, the later as Talbot’s father), as does old school scream queen Evelyn Ankers who would go on to appear in almost as many horror movies as Chaney would. No list of the greatest horror films can be complete without these Universal monster ditties with The Wolf Man certainly proving my case.
49. HORROR OF DRACULA (1958)
Dir - Terence FisherAll hail Christopher Lee!
Every Dracula film adaptation has used the Bram Stoker novel as loosely or as faithfully as it wishes, and Hammer’s take is certainly no different. What sets Horror of Dracula apart from all others is Lord Christopher Lee’s uncannily evil performance. For whatever reason, other actor's portrayal of the unholy, undead Count always seem to steer to the sympathetic. He is a tortured soul, became a vampire against his will, longs for a lost love, yadda, yadda. Not Lee’s Dracula though. His is evil-incarnate; an utterly heartless fiend whose cold, sadistic seduction of bountiful maidens is coupled only by his animalistic, psychotic blood-lust for anything with a penis that gets in his way. For anyone who has actually read the book, this is the character as he was always meant to be. Lugosi’s Count may still be my favorite and also leans towards the pure evil side, but Lee kicks it up and then some. Also for some extra in awesome, Peter Cushing naturally does his always admirable job as Van Helsing. It is a testament to both of these men’s powers that they were able to do an excellent role reversal with Lee playing the sympathetic monster in the previous year’s Curse of Frankenstein and Cushing playing the title role as a deplorable villain. This, among many other reasons, is why these two men should be on currency.
Dir - Tobe Hooper
Darkness on the edge of town
At just over three hours long, the original Salem’s Lot television mini-series is no doubt a rather long undertaking, but for any Stephen King/vampire/horror movie fan, it is also essential viewing. Like most of King's works, it takes some time before the “good stuff” starts happening, but that being said, Lot is arguably his best novel and this adaptation chooses wisely what to leave out, what to leave in, and like Stanley Kubrick’s The Shinning, what to improve. The cast is mostly recognizable and quite strong. James Mason was never creepier and "Future Miss John McClane" Bonnie Bedelia was never babelier. On top of that, we are treated to some of the absolute best horror movie scenes there have been, handled expertly by Chainsaw Massacre maestro Tobe Hooper. Children floating outside of windows, Geoffrey Lewis slowly rocking in a chair, a horde of just-waking-up undead crawling out of their basement tomb, and of course, possibly the most fantastic horror-villain-unveiling in history when “The Master” Barlow finally shows up in town. Top notch, spooktacular stuff.
Dir - Roy Ward Baker
"Night after night...for all eternity"
Perhaps us horror connoisseurs each have a particular favorite Amicus anthology production. Most would probably say the very first Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors was never topped, (I damn near agree), others maybe pick Tales From the Crypt which is probably the studio's most popular entry. Vault of Horror, (which was made the follow year as Tales), is obviously a companion piece as each take their title from one of the legendary EC Comics books. Ironically, none of the stories from this film version of Vault are from the book of the same name, (all but one actually appeared in the "Tales from the Crypt" book, go figure). The greatest Doctor of all Tom Baker is present in the best of the five stories “Drawn and Quartered”. As big a fan of classic Doctor Who as I am and particularly Baker’s run, this story's superiority is hardly surprising. Yet nearly all the other tales are just as strong, “The Neat Job” in particular is rather a riot. I actually debated having both this and Tales occupy the same spot, but alas, no cheating was allowed. Really though, all seven of Amicus' anthology movies are not to be missed.
Dir - Edgar G. Ulmer
Supernatural bologna
Though I have a fondness for two other films starring these two giants of the macabre, the 1934 Black Cat is the first and damn near best Béla Lugosi/Boris Karloff pairing as well as one of Universal’s many horror masterpieces. No “typical” monsters are present here and Lugosi, (who is fantastic as always), plays sort of a “good” guy. A "good" guy set on torture and revenge mind you, but a sort-of "good" guy all the same. Karloff’s Austrian architect Hjalmar Poelzig is damn near his best role and one utterly evil villain to be sure. Though it is just over an hour in length, there is a whole lot thrown into The Black Cat. World War I carnage, torture, ailurophobia, (the fear of cats), drug abuse, occultism, and a tense stand-off between two mortal enemies resulting in both a sinister chess game and a gruesome flaying alive scene are all key ingredients. All the Karloff/Lugosi team-ups are quality though, representing must-see stuff for horror fans of the good ole days.
Dir - David Cronenberg
"Does this look like a sick man to you?"
I am quite the David Cronenberg fan as most people should be and many peg his 1986 remake of the 1958 classic The Fly as his very best horror work. Though I do not agree 100% with that statement, (stay tuned), The Fly does indeed kick some serious ass. The 1958 original is decent and stars Vincent Price in a supporting role, but any justifiable remake must have that rare ability to improve on the original in some profound way. Whereas said original here blew its money shot on one big though highly memorable reveal, Cronenberg’s The Fly’s brilliant decision to go all gradual with the transformation pulled-off just such an improvement. Spending nearly the entire movie getting to live with and witness Jeff Goldblum’s inner bug man slowly puss its way to the surface, (all the while witnessing Geena Davis torment at witnessing the very same thing), is a horrific, heartbreaking, and even occasionally funny thing to behold. OF course Chris Walas' Oscar winning make-up effects are stupendously disgusting and effective and both Goldblum and Davis are great in the leads. Then when you have the mighty Cronenberg leading the whole shebang, you just cannot go wrong I suppose.
Dir - Rouben Mamoulian
"Free! Free at last!"
Though distributed by Paramount originally, this 1931 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde fits snugly in with the early Universal monster films. Like Frankenstein and Dracula which were both released the same year, Jekyll and Hyde was based off a famous novel, had at least one, (or in this case, five), previous screen adaptations, and utilized no musical score which is something regrettably rare that I also wholly appreciate. Russian director Rouben Mamoulian flows the camera around quite daringly, with many long takes, POV angels, and close-ups galore. Fredric March won an Oscar for the duel lead role and I can certainly see why, (though I am none the expert on the Academy the way others are mind you). The Hyde transformation make-up technique, utilizing colored filters and “invisible” make-up is still wickedly effective and Hyde’s increasingly sadistic torment over bar wench Ivy (Miriam Hopkins) is as unsettling to watch as anything in horrordom. The best crack at the Robert Louis Stevenson source material by a mile.
Dir - James Whale
The whole world is his hiding place
Easily the finest non-Alan-Moore-penned version of the H.G. Well’s “Invisible Man” antagonist Griffin is the 1933 Universal classic The Invisible Man. With horror’s possible finest director James Whale at the helm and the great Claude Rains in the title role, (though we only see his face at the very end), The Invisible Man certainly had the right ingredients and certainly delivers. As he was wont to do, Whale plays the films main special effects showcase for laughs, as Griffin disrobes and proceeds to terrorize a small village which cleverly underlines his later more savage acts. It is a splendid balance of horror and comedy all around that Whale would perfect further with The Bride of Frankenstein some two years down the road, (which would again feature everyone’s favorite screaming hysterical woman Una O’Connor). Rains’ leading man career would kick-start here as well, including future turns in Universal’s The Wolf Man and Phantom of the Opera remake and the film's simple special effects, (using wires and a black velvet body suite and background), are quite pleasantly convincing for the period.
Dir - David Cronenberg
"I just can't cope with the freaky stuff"
Here is some more David Cronenberg and an utterly mind-melting one at that. Staring an excellent James Woods and Blondie’s own Deborah Harry, Videodrome may very well be the quintessential “body horror” film from the man who had very much made the sub-genre his stock-in-trade. It is strange as hell by design, especially as Wood’s “hallucinations” grow more and more intense and dominate further screen time. This was a very welcome return to greatness for Cronenberg after The Brood and Scanners, (two very lackluster outings), and Woods turns in an arrogant-turned-panicked performance as the sleazy cable station CEO who delves ever deeper into the snuff-film universe of Videodrome. Cronenberg certainly has some other exertions into the surreal, (eXistanZ is a phenomenal second cousin to this one and very much worth checking out), and he has also made more straight-ahead horror films, but Videodrome is his finest pairing of both.
Dir - Tomas Alfredson
"I'm not a girl"
Some of the best horror movies are really only horror movies on the surface. It does not take much digging to get to the real tale of an angst-ridden, teenage friendship unfolding in an increasingly horrific setting here. Best of all, the whole tale is both touching and tragic. Twelve-year old Oskar and twelve-year old-only-in-appearance Eli become a sympathetic duo and their fate may be forever linked with ongoing, woeful death and the like, yet the feeling that these two are meant to go it together for awhile at least is thoroughly conveyed. It is merely icing on the cake that Let the Right One In has some of the most gruesome and best horror deaths of all time, (anyone for swimming?), and some truly creepy moments to boot, (Eli’s “true” face briefly emerging is chief among them). I have yet to see the American remake though I heard it is surprisingly decent. Such remakes are always unnecessary, but it sounds as if they did not miss the point which is nice as the usual dumbed-down Hollywood debacle would most certainly be a deplorable act where this one is concerned.
"I'm not a girl"
Some of the best horror movies are really only horror movies on the surface. It does not take much digging to get to the real tale of an angst-ridden, teenage friendship unfolding in an increasingly horrific setting here. Best of all, the whole tale is both touching and tragic. Twelve-year old Oskar and twelve-year old-only-in-appearance Eli become a sympathetic duo and their fate may be forever linked with ongoing, woeful death and the like, yet the feeling that these two are meant to go it together for awhile at least is thoroughly conveyed. It is merely icing on the cake that Let the Right One In has some of the most gruesome and best horror deaths of all time, (anyone for swimming?), and some truly creepy moments to boot, (Eli’s “true” face briefly emerging is chief among them). I have yet to see the American remake though I heard it is surprisingly decent. Such remakes are always unnecessary, but it sounds as if they did not miss the point which is nice as the usual dumbed-down Hollywood debacle would most certainly be a deplorable act where this one is concerned.
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