(1953)
Dir - Andre DeToth
Overall: GOOD
Probably the most career-affecting work in Vincent Price's career, the success of House of Wax ultimately sealed the deal in making the actor the go-to horror thespian for the next four decades. A remake of the Michael Curtiz-directed Mystery of the Wax Museum and the first major studio color film to be made in 3-D, it has remained the most enduring and surpassed others which adapted the many conceptual bullet points that came in its wake. Price was nearly always the highlight of any movie he appeared in and his revenge-seeking, wax figure-sculpting Professor Henry Jarrod is the type of classic, doomed horror movie character whose madness is made somewhat sympathetic while his actions are still assuredly appalling. There are a few shots clearly designed for the 3-D format that are humorous to view normally and a spry Charles Bronson is equally amusing as the mute muscle Igor, though to be honest Mrs. Future Morticia Adams Carolyn Jones is hugely obnoxious as a gold-digging bimbo. Best of all though is the heart-racing finale which is fantastic as are Price's creepy, Phantom of the Opera-esque murders.
(1959)
Dir - Edward Bernds
Overall: GOOD
With the always steadfast allure of franchising off of a successful property looming over them, 20th Century Fox make the best of losing The Fly producer/director Kurt Nuemann who had died only a month after said film was released with Return of the Fly. Also, no more DeLuxe color process as this one was done more affordably in black and white. The only saving grace it truly has beyond just theater goers who are anxious to see more of the titular half man/half insect monster was Vincent Price reprising his supporting role as François Delambre, though he is actually bedridden for a solid chunk of the proceedings after getting shot halfway through. The script by Three Stooges director Edward Bernds does a reasonably acceptable job of concocting something similar yet unique enough with the limited ingredients on hand, throwing in a backstabbing lab assistant and a police man/bug hunt into the mix. The film cannot hope to one-up or even stand toe-to-toe with its predecessor though since elsewhere it is undeniably a weaker version of the same story and set pieces. Still, it is a harmless and enjoyable effort for what it is.
(1959)
Dir - Crane Wilbur
Overall: MEH
Not one of the stronger Vincent Price-stared vehicles, The Bat was the forth film adaptation of the Mary Roberts Rinehart novel-turned-stage-play The Circular Staircase. A murder mystery done in a lighthearted and often campy manner yet never embracing its potential kookiness, the whodunit plot line is messy and kind of dull. This does not help the occasionally silly performances from being as enjoyable as they otherwise would be, with Price in a somewhat smaller, underwritten role and Agnes Moorehead not taking anything too seriously in the actual lead. Since the storyline is rather tripe, none of the set pieces come off as very interesting either. It is mostly several excitable women cooped up in a house while a guy with a mask and claws for no reason keeps evading everyone over multiple days with more people being found dead and the same handful of characters standing around discussing it ad nauseam. There is also something about money being hidden somewhere. By the time the title villain is unmasked, it is not much of a mind-blowing reveal and in fact rather easily foreseeable. Too many bland problems is the long short of it really.
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