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Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Bad Movies  |  Just Watched. « previous next »
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Author Topic: Just Watched.  (Read 9002 times)
JaseSF
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« Reply #15 on: July 02, 2007, 01:00:13 PM »



House of Horrors (1946)

Starring Robert Lowry, Virginia Grey, Martin Kosleck, Rondo Hatton, Bill Goodwin and Alan Napier. Written by George Bricker based on a story by Dwight V. Babcock. Directed by Jean Yarbrough.

Plot: A long-suffering sculptor named Marcel De Lange (Martin Kosleck), forever the target of negative art critic reviews, gains a chance at vengeance when he rescues a deformed killer known as the Creeper (Rondo Hatton), who takes delight in killing off his newfound friend's adversaries, from drowning. However is their bond really as strong as it appears or is De Lange just using the Creeper for his own ends?

Comments: This was quite a surprise. I wasn't expecting a movie anywhere near this good and most probably won't think as highly of this Universal B-Movie as I do. What makes it really work for me is that one can sympathize with and feel for both lead villains, especially Hatton's Creeper who constantly seems to be searching for some form of acceptance he can never manage to find. Hatton, who turned his deformities, the result of acromegaly, into a movie career where he played a monster without any make-up manages to captivate viewers in ways one never quite expects from a man who most likely was never classically trained as an actor. Kosleck too manages to give De Lange very human qualities, such as the way he cares for and strokes his pet cat, a man who feels he's been smitten down by the world and is just searching for some means at striking back however he can and perhaps has found yet another "pet" who can achieve that very purpose. No, this doesn't make the back-breaking actions of the Creeper justified but we can understand the motivations at work in the minds of our killers, who one could argue are sort of anti-heroes in this movie, and that's largely what makes this film such fascinating viewing. They're certainly more interesting that Virginia Grey's female reporter and her artist boyfriend who paints gorgeous female models.

(Note: I'm also posting these "Just Watched" reviews at my buddy Dr. Mality's Wormboard at wormwoodchronicles.com )
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JaseSF
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« Reply #16 on: July 05, 2007, 11:44:03 AM »



Ace Drummond (1936)

Starring John King, Jean Rogers, Noah Beery Jr., Guy Bates Post, Lon Chaney Jr., Jackie Morrow and Arthur Loft. Written by Wyndham Gittens, Norman S. Hall and Ray Trampe based on characters in Captain Eddie Rickenbacker (A WW1 ace)'s comic strip. Directed by Ford Beebe and Clifford Smith.

Plot: A mysterious menace in Mongolia known only as "The Dragon" seems determined to stop International Airways from establishing a link to the Orient. "The Dragon" has learnt that an archaelogist named Dr. Trainor (Montague Shaw) has discovered a mountain filled with jade. Wanting to steal this treasure for himself, he is determined to stop the international presence in his nation. And he just might be able to pull this off thanks to a death ray he has created capable of bringing down planes via remote control.  America, wanting to foil "The Dragon"'s plot sends in top agent Ace Drummond (John King), Flying G-Man of the Air, to bring him down.

Comments: This 13 Chapter Serial is quite adventurous. It helps that each chapter actually further progress the story so that one ultimately is looking forward to catching the next with anticipation as to how our story will play itself out. There's also some neat sci-fi gadgetry: the Dragon's Death Ray and his unique means of communication to his allies via prayer wheels, water wheels, etc. that help keeps things different and interesting not to mention a number of false leads and turns to keep audiences on their toes and wondering. The most disappointing aspect of this serial is that Lon Chaney Jr. role is that of a throwaway henchman and that Ace Drummond constantly breaks out into song singing the same tune repeatedly. Also the final revelation didn't quite hold up IMO with previously established events. Getting past that and those moments I was disturbed by young Billy's, a youthful teenage sidekick who frequently tags behind Ace and his pal Jerry (noah Beery Jr.) on their adventures even going so far as to drive motrocycles and cars in their aid!, adoring admiration of his hero Ace Drummond, this is really quite enjoyable.
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« Reply #17 on: July 05, 2007, 11:53:19 AM »

Wrongfully acused. Soooo funny! The effects are just a little bit bad, but it's the comedy that counts right?...right?
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« Reply #18 on: July 05, 2007, 05:16:01 PM »



House of Horrors (1946)




 Favorite line from the movie...Rondo,as art critic...looking at the bust of himself..."It's pretty."  BounceGiggle
 Me and my brother Glenn saw this years ago,late at night,and my brother was smoking pot. He nearly choked laughing so hard!
my favorite Rondo movie! Karma!  Thumbup
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JaseSF
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« Reply #19 on: July 07, 2007, 11:34:15 AM »



Dr. Renault's Secret (1942)

Starring J. Carrol Naish, Sheppard Strudwick, Lynne Roberts, George Zucco, Jack Norton and Mike Mazurki. Written by William Bruckner, Robert F. Metzler based on Gaston Leroux's novel "Balaoo". Directed by Harry Lachman.

Plot: A young, bright American scientist named Dr. Larry Forbes (Sheppard Strudwick) plans to visit the remote French villa that is home to his fiancée Madelon (Lynne Roberts) and her uncle Dr. Robert Renault (George Zucco) but on his way there the road is washed out from a storm so he is forced to stay in an hotel where Renault's most uncommon assistant Noel, a native of Java, is waiting to accompany him back to the Renaults'. However during his stay in the hotel, a drunk who had mistakenly occupied Dr. Forbes room in the night is mysteriously and brutally murdered. The next day, Forbes and Noel travel to the Renault's villa and all seems well until another mysterious death occurs. Soon it seems that Dr. Forbes is the likely target of someone's wrath but who and why? Could it be the ex-convict Rogell (Mike Mazurski) who was hired by the Renaults and had been forced to stay at the hotel, and had caught a glimpse of all the wealth Forbes' possessed when he paid the hotel manager for food and drinks, on that same fateful night as Forbes? Dr. Renault seems to suspect another likely answer. Just what is this deadly secret he's keeping to himself?

Comments: While this one is pretty predictable in the fashion it plays out, it holds a strange fascination. J. Carrol Naish, in perhaps one of his best and most understated performances, proves surprisingly compelling as the quiet but decidedly unusual and downright primitive Noel. George Zucco once again fits into the role he seems to have been forever typecast in as the determined Dr. Renault, a scientist who wants to succeed in his latest experiment whatever the cost to others. His performance here is somewhat more understated that usual for him as well. Ultimately one will be left to ponder just who the real monster of this piece was? It's definitely in this one's favor that it features several terrific character actors (Naish, Zucco, Mazurki and Norton) and it doesn't overstay its welcome, running just 58 minutes. Overall, it's quite a fun way to spend an hour if you're a fan of 1930-40s style sci-fi/horror.

SPOILER WARNING:

The biggest flaw here is it's pretty obvious fairly early on that Dr. Renault is rather like Dr. Moreau and Noel is in actuality his latest experiment. (This film would also be fitting in mention of another recent "gorilla" thread on here but is certainly a better example of that type of film than most).
« Last Edit: July 07, 2007, 11:36:35 AM by JaseSF » Logged

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