Showing posts with label Bedlam at the Bijou. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bedlam at the Bijou. Show all posts
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Hump-Day Harangue: Why Hammer Beats Universal (Almost) Every Time
As a fan of classic horror—by which I mean anything before
Romero’s zombies threatened the countryside and Rosemary had her baby—I’ve
often gotten caught up in that eternal debate: Which studio was superior, Universal
or Hammer? And by writing this, by no means do I want to denigrate one or the
other, or imply that one is subpar. Rather, both the Universal Studios output
of the 1930s/40s and the Hammer output of the 1950s/60s/70s represent high
watermarks in the history of horror. It’s just that, given the choice, I
usually go with Hammer.
That’s right, I’m choosing the Brits over my own countrymen.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Universal’s iconic cycle of horror flicks, which
first introduced moviegoing audiences to the likes of Dracula, Frankenstein,
the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Wolf Man and more. I just believe that by
reinvigorating the gothic genre in the era of radioactive monsters and
exploitation, Hammer did Universal one better and set the benchmark even
higher.
Let’s get one thing out of the way, first and foremost—in my
estimation, both James Whale’s Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein are
superior to any film ever put out by the Hammer studio. That said, outside of
those two films, I generally find the Hammer body of work to be more enjoyable than
the Universal body of work. There are a number of reasons for this.
Maybe chief among them would be that Hammer represented my
original introduction to the horror genre. I like to think I’m not so prone to
such a subjective view, but I must at least entertain the possibility that I’m
biased. As a very small child, I first discovered what horror was all about
thanks to those weekend afternoon showings of Hammer gems on syndicated TV in
New York. Channels 5, 9 and 11 were my tutors in pop culture, and among the
gifts they gave me was Hammer. In fact, Hammer’s Lust for a Vampire may have
been the first horror movie I ever saw.
But beyond this mere nostalgia, there’s more. As time went
by and I came to discover Universal not long after, I also developed a strong
love for their brand of horror as well. But it never supplanted Hammer in my
heart.
Not to sound like a Philistine, but a large part of this had
to do with Hammer’s vibrant Technicolor. One of the main elements that the
studio itself took pride in was that it was reinventing these classic horror
tropes in a color medium, replacing Universal’s crisp black and white with the
garish, comic book-like hues never before seen in gothic cinematic horror. And
while generally I deplore the attitude that black and white is somehow
inferior, in this case—especially as a child—I was more drawn in by those bold,
almost shocking colors.
Needless to say, one of the main uses Hammer made of that
full color palette was to show blood. And by “blood” I mean some of the first
major instances of simulated bloodshed ever seen in horror movies, especially
of this kind. Whereas the Universal canon was more staid in its presentation,
leaving more to the viewer’s imagination (often due to constraints from the
Hayes Committee), Hammer let it all hang out, splashing the camera with more
bright red plasma than had ever been seen. This meant that instead of a
fangless Dracula (all due to respect to Bela Lugosi), we got a fanged and fierce
Christopher Lee, gore dripping from his lips, his eyes ringed in scarlet. For
an eight-year-old, literally the stuff of nightmares.
Hammer made a splash (pardon the pun) through their
then-liberal usage of blood, but they also became known for something else:
beautiful women. Although it may sound silly to harp on it, Hammer’s
unprecedented emphasis on sexuality was a big deal, and also helped usher
horror into a new era just as much as the blood did. The buxom and often exotic
women who populated Hammer’s films brought blatant sex appeal like never
before, in stark contrast to the often prim and buttoned-up sexuality
occasionally glimpsed in Universal. This is not to say that Universal horror
was not dealing with sexual themes, just that they did it in a much more
(necessarily) subtle and subtextual way, whereas Hammer—in typical studio
fashion—loved bashing you over the head with it.
Another aspect of Hammer that they often don’t get enough
credit for is the return of gothic horror to its proper Victorian roots.
Whereas Universal’s films often took place in some vague, unknown time period
that seemed like a confusing cross between modern times and the 19th
century, Hammer was careful to set its stories firmly in the Victorian era (or
earlier in some cases).
This worked especially for many of the tales, like Dracula
and Frankenstein, which were set in earlier time periods and were for the first
time being presented that way—but Hammer went much further than that. Perhaps
out of a sense of national pride in their own fabled history, they enjoyed
making nearly all their films period films, delighting in breathtaking costume
and set design that really gave you a sense of being in an earlier time. It
would be a new standard that would be copied by all gothic horror going
forward, right up until today.
In short, I think what makes Hammer my preferred source for
classic horror is that their output generally works better as horror films, if
that makes sense. While the Universal classics were usually more polished,
especially those of the 1930s, and were superior as films, Hammer’s work was
just downright scarier, with more of a flair for the horrific. While Universal
had fine filmmakers like Tod Browning and Whale, exceptional cinematography
from the likes of Karl Freund, brilliant set design from the likes of Russell
Gausman, and of course the writing of the great Curt Siodmak, Hammer answered
back with workhorse director and writer Terence Fisher and Jimmy Sangster,
meticulous costume designer Molly Arbuthnot and the blaring musical scores of
James Bernard.
While Hammer generally worked with a smaller budget, they
made you feel as if their productions were more lush. Universal may have been
more mainstream and high-profile, especially in the U.S., but Hammer made up
for their technical shortcomings with more of a genuine relish for horror. They
threw themselves into taking the groundwork laid by Universal and ratcheting it
up about five or six notches. And they were damn good at it.
So while I thoroughly enjoy my Karloff, Lugosi and Chaney
just as much as the next horror nut, my soul belongs, in the end, to Cushing
and Lee. Pressed to make a choice between Universal and Hammer, I’ll go with
Hammer. But it’s kind of like asking me to choose between Sinatra and the
Beatles, or Marvel and DC—I may go with the Chairman and the Board and the
House of Ideas, but that shouldn’t take anything away from my profound love for
the Fab Four and the Distinguished Competition as well. There’s room for all in
my horror-lovin’ heart.
And if you, like me,
enjoy a good Hammer flick—or two!—I urge you to join me tomorrow night in
Bridgeport for BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU: Hammer Horror, a unique double feature in
which I’ll be screening both Hammer’s version of The Mummy and the vastly underrated
Curse of the Werewolf! Plus, we’ve got Hammer DVD and book giveaways, and a
special appearance by the LoTTD’s own John Cozzoli of Zombos Closet of Terror!
Hope to see you there, Vault dwellers…
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Retro Review: Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
“You don’t understand—in
a half hour the moon will rise, and I’ll turn into a wolf…”
“You and 20 million
other guys.”
There are the great horror films, and there are the great
comedies. But great horror comedies? Films that work equally well as both, and
can scare you and make you laugh in equal measure? Few and far between.
Possibly the first really great one, and for many still the best, would be the
1948 timeless classic Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. All these
decades later, and it can still leave us in stitches, while delivering a
healthy dose of authentic Universal monster madness. The fact that this movie
even happened both was and is a gift to movie fans of all ages.
By 1948, both Abbott & Costello and the Universal
monsters, two cash cow franchises for the legendary studio, were sort of on the
ropes. Bud and Lou had made their name at the studio during the war years, but
the act was starting to wear thin with audiences. As for Dracula, Frankenstein
and the gang, they were far removed from their halcyon days of the 1930s and
early ‘40s, having been reduced to flimsy team-up flicks for kids.
So what did the powers-that-be at Universal decide to do,
but cross the two franchises, in one of the most inspired movie mashups ever
conceived. Lon Chaney Jr. may have later condemned the film as the death knell
of the classic monsters, but the hindsight of film history has revealed it as a
beloved gem that, rather than tarnish the reputation of the monsters, has kept
their legacy alive for generations.
In short, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein is the
perfect “gateway movie” for getting children into horror. I should know; I used
it in exactly that way for my own kids. It’s hilariously funny on a level that
can be appreciated by people of all ages, and the creep factor is there in
copious amounts, especially for young children not too familiar with horror in
general. It causes chills and laughter in equal measure, as we watch Bud and
Lou mix it up with some very scary individuals.
In the end, that’s what makes the movie work so well.
Neither franchise is compromising its integrity. Abbott & Costello are
doing what they do best, getting into ridiculous situations and doing the whole
straight man/childish fat guy routine. In fact, this film is probably their
funniest moment, in a movie career that spanned nearly two decades. As for the Universal
monsters, they are playing themselves here. There’s no campy hamming-it-up
going on. Although Bela Lugosi’s Dracula may feel a bit different than his 1931
interpretation, he is playing Dracula to the hilt—just as Glenn Strange is
playing the Monster, and most impeccably, Lon Chaney Jr. is playing Larry
Talbot. I defy you to find any difference between the Talbot here and in any of
his previous appearances. There is no “winking at the camera” on the part of
him, Lugosi or Strange.
The perfect blend of horror and comedy make this, for my
money, one of the most downright fun movies ever made. There are so many
unforgettable set pieces here—particularly the predicaments the hapless Lou
constantly finds himself in; from accidentally sitting in the Monster’s lap, to
the scene in Talbot’s hotel room with the fruit bowl. And of course, the scene
most people remember from this movie, in which Lou first encounters Dracula at
the House of Horrors, all the while trying breathlessly to explain it to an
incredulous Bud. This is effortless, timeless comedy from two masters, and best
of all, is so true to the material that you can honestly imagine that this is
what would happen if Abbott & Costello were to encounter Frankenstein,
Dracula and the Wolf Man.
 | |
| Costello cracked up Strange so much during this scene that it had to be shot numerous times. |
We get Lugosi in his only other film appearance as Dracula
after his first iconic turn in 1931. That alone is enough to recommend the
film! We get an excellent score from Frank Skinner—so good, in fact, that it
would be lifted outright for future A&C movie installments. We get a
rip-roaring monster-laden finale that is the perfect payoff for all the
insanity that has come before. And, at the risk of “spoiling” a 65-year-old
movie, we get an unforgettable final-shot cameo by Vincent Price as the voice
of the Invisible Man! What more can you possibly ask for?
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein succeeded in
redefining both franchises. Going forward, the A&C series continued trying
to recapture the new formula. The series took on a decidedly fantastical slant
that was very different from the releases of the early ‘40s, pairing the comedy
duo up with other monsters and villains like the Mummy, Dr. Jekyll & Mr.
Hyde, and even “The Killer, Boris Karloff”. It may have been a gimmick, but it
was a gimmick that kept the act going for nearly another decade. As for the
Universal monsters themselves, this film became their last appearance for the
studio. But it needs to be said that it also reinvented them for a whole new
generation of young moviegoers, and helped give rise to the kitschy “Monster
Kid” culture of the ‘50s, ‘60s and beyond, raising the studio’s creations to
the level of pop culture gods.
Personally, the film brings me back to those lazy Sunday
afternoons of my youth, spent with family, food and syndicated New York
television. If you’re a fan of classic horror, I encourage you to check it out. Particularly, this movie is a joy to watch with young children. If you don’t
have your own, go and steal someone else’s—it’s worth it. I screened it at one
of my kids’ Halloween parties, and few sights in my memory will ever match the
sight of a room full of initially skeptical 7-10 year olds, falling out of their
seats with laughter and yelling at the screen in comic frustration.
I’m so glad the world of Abbott & Costello and the
Universal monsters crossed paths, and I enjoy revisiting it whenever I can.
Give it a try, and I think you’ll be hooked as well.
And if you ever wanted
to catch this gem on the big screen, then you’re in luck! I’ll be screening it
on Thursday, December 27, as part of my BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU series at
Bridgeport’s Bijou Theatre. I hope you’ll join me for BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU:
Scared Silly, in which I’ll be pairing this movie up with another classic Universal-themed
comedy, Young Frankenstein. Check out the Facebook page for more info, or the
official Bijou website!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Zombies Strike in Bridgeport! Next Up? Vampires...
It has been my pleasure to welcome Bridgeport to the Vault of Horror, and I hope to be able to do so for some time to come. Coming fresh off my second monthly installment of BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU in the city's historic downtown district, I have to say it is just about the most fun I've ever had. Sharing my passion for horror with like-minded individuals, and opening the minds of intelligent folks giving it a chance for the first time? Count me in!
And speaking of "Count", that brings to mind my *next* BATB presentation, happening next month on Thursday, November 15. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
 |
| The Bedlam faithful take in the undead goodness. |
 |
| The Captain in human guise prepares to bloody up some moviegoers. |
Last Thursday night, I had the privilege of screening a zombie double feature made up of White Zombie and The Last Man on Earth (yes, I know it's technically not a zombie film, but anyone who's seen it knows why I included it.) Just like my first Godzilla/Them double feature last month, it was truly a blast bringing these flicks back to the big screen with fans old and new on hand. I cannot thank those who came out to support the event enough.
I am especially grateful to the Bijou's tireless Molly Ann Sabas, who put up with all my anal retentive crap and made sure everything ran smoothly from a technical standpoint. I was very excited to see my zombie-themed photo montage pre-show flash on the big screen prior to the movies. I must also thank the amazing Chad Anderson, who took more great pictures of the event, and Michael Barnes, who designed another fantastic poster for the event (I'm officially stealing a copy of every poster he creates for BATB!).
 |
| One of our adventurous patrons gets zombified by Cruella! |
 |
| Dr. Paffenroth drops some zombie knowledge. |
The lovely Captain Cruella was on-hand to zombify a few of our patrons right there in the Bijou's sumptuous lobby, and the Bram Stoker Award-winning author and good friend Dr. Kim Paffenroth made the trek all the way from Westchester to be my special Q&A guest. Just as it was last month, the Q&A was my favorite part of the evening, and I got a huge kick out of some of the very thought-provoking questions that were asked and answered.
And what can I say about seeing Bela and Lugosi and Vincent Price up on the big screen? These movies will never be as enjoyable as they are in an environment like this, and the Bijou is such a beautiful venue for it. I'm not sure what was more enjoyable--feeling the excitement of long-time fans as they witnessed these movies 20 feet high, or watching the rapt discovery of those who had never seen, or maybe even heard of them, before.
I was proud to discuss the unique cultural zombie phenomenon at length, and will be equally proud next month when BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU returns with my next double feature: "The Count Begins". I cleverly called it that because I'll be screening a double feature of the first two screen adaptations of Bram Stoker's Dracula: the original 1922 Nosferatu, and the classic 1931 Universal film Dracula. I'll be joined by another great horror non-fiction author, Paul Bibeau--whose book Sundays with Vlad proves what a Dracula aficionado he is. I'm also working on scoring some live musical accompaniment for Nosferatu, which should be enthralling. And of course, what would a Dracula double feature be without some wine specials? After all, he may never drink it, but that doesn't mean we can't.
 |
| The good Doctor and myself. |
 |
| Sharing the stage with our newly minted zombies. |
So I hope you'll join me for the next BEDLAM AT THE BIJOU, coming up Thursday, November 15 at 7pm. If you love these movies, or want to discover them for the first time, I encourage you to come down to the Bijou Theatre. For more info, check out the Bijou website!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Bringing Bedlam to the Bijou!
It's no secret that I love movies. Especially horror movies. And like anyone who loves something, my greatest joy comes from sharing that love with others. As a horror movie buff, I've always wanted to host public screenings of classic fright flicks, and thanks to The Vault of Horror, that dream has been able to be realized.
Last month, I had the pleasure of taking to the stage for the very first time for special double feature at Bridgeport's historic Bijou Theatre. It was the kickoff for a little series I've entitled... Bedlam at the Bijou. If you've been following the Vault, you probably know a little bit about it. Maybe you were there. In any event, it's been serving for me as a sort of fifth anniversary celebration for the VoH (which officially blew out the candles last Sunday, by the way). And I can't think of a better way to celebrate such a milestone.
 |
| Tickets! |
 |
| "Welcome to Bedlam at the Bijou!" |
Anyway, September 27 marked the start of Bedlam at the Bijou with "Nuclear Nightmares", a double feature of the original Gojira and the giant ant epic Them! It was a joy seeing both these gems on the big screen, and back-to-back, no less! I never realized how much they had in common until I picked them for this screening, and it was fun exploring those connections with a very eager audience. I was also blessed to be joined by none other than Hearst media film critic--and fellow uber movie geek--Joe Meyers, who was more than happy to expound on both films during a most engaging post-screening Q&A.
 |
| The Avon crew represents. |
 |
| Big G does what he does best. |
But it hardly ends there... Because next Thursday, October 25, the second installment of Bedlam at the Bijou will grip Bridgeport in its icy clutches. This time out, I'm hosting "The Undead Among Us", a double feature of White Zombie (the original zombie film) and The Last Man on Earth (the movie that inspired Night of the Living Dead). What better month than October to explore the origins of zombie cinema? Captain Cruella will be on hand to zombify our moviegoing guests, and there will even be a zombie costume contest. Plus, I'm joined by Stoker-award winning author Dr. Kim Paffenroth, who may be the world's only theologian/zombie expert.
 |
| *ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch* |
 |
| Sharing the stage with the amazing Joe Meyer. |
Whether you caught the first Bedlam at the Bijou or not, I encourage you to join me next Thursday night, October 25 at 7pm sharp! Check out the official website for more info, and read all about it at the Bijou blog!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
