settima

horror

Vampyr, ou l'étrange aventure de David Gray (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1932)

Sep

25

World Dream Day

Vampyr, ou l'étrange aventure de David Gray (1932)

Allan Grey (Julian West) sees himself in a coffin in a dream. DPs: Rudolph Maté & Louis Née.

“This is the tale of the strange adventures of the young Allan Gray, who immersed himself in the study of devil worship and vampires. Preoccupied with superstitions of centuries past, he became a dreamer for whom the line between the real and the supernatural became blurred. His aimless wanderings led him late one evening to a secluded inn by the river in a village called Courtempierre.”

– title card

Veneno para las hadas [Poison for the Fairies] (Carlos Enrique Taboada, 1986)

Sep

19

apples

Veneno para las hadas (1986)

Verónica (Ana Patricia Rojo) eating a red apple from a paper bag filled with fruit. The kitchen is spartan. DP: Lupe García.

The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963)

Sep

10

chicken

The Birds (1963)

Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren in a promotional photo by Philippe Halsman. Hedren, as her character Melanie Daniels, is attacked by a large crow while Hitchcock calmly enjoys a fried chicken and a glass of wine. DP: Robert Burks.

Feeling rather peckish.

“Are the birds gonna eat us, Mommy?”

The Monster That Challenged the World (Arnold Laven, 1957)

Sep

7

National Salami Day

The Monster That Challenged the World (1957)

Coroner Nate Brown (Byron Kane) offering two cops a couple of nice cold sandwiches straight from one of the morgue coolers on his lunch break. DP: Lester White.

Arnold Laven's The Monster That Challenged the World is one of the earliest, if not thé earliest, example of this peculiar movie and television trope: the coroner's lunch break.

– You boys care for a sandwich? Got tuna fish and minced ham on rye.

– No, thanks.

– It's nice and cold.

Having some cold cuts over some cold cuts never gets old. Or appetising.

The Hypnotic Eye (George Blair, 1960)

Aug

29

National Lemon Juice Day

The Hypnotic Eye (1960)

Suave hypnotist Desmond (Jacques Bergerac) and his lovely assistant Justine (Allison Hayes) using the magic of vitamin C to demonstrate to you, the viewer, how hypnotism works. DP: Archie R. Dalzell.

The Hypnotic Eye utilises what's called the movie gimmick. This one doesn't deploy anything hugely spectacular, no Percepto! seat vibrators (The Tingler (1959)) or Witchcraft (1964) witch deflectors or even a trained nurse on standby. There's a balloon. No spoilers here

“And now I am going to demonstrate to you the power of your own mind.”

– Desmond

There are also multiple moments where hypnotist Desmond (handsome future-Revlon-exec Jacques Bergerac) directly addresses you, the (wo)man in the audience. Because you too may laugh at that folly, that gimmick, that parlour trick. But who says it isn't real? Who says you really never went to see a hypnotism show…?

Vražda ing. Čerta [The Murder of Mr. Devil / Killing the Devil] (Ester Krumbachová, 1970)

Aug

18

Serendipity Day

Vražda ing. Čerta (1970)

Ona (Jiřina Bohdalová) is her wonderful kitchen, smoking two well-deserved cigars. DP: Jiří Macák.

Ester Krumbachová's feminist farce is a delight of many flavours. Ona (Jiřina Bohdalová) is already 40 and in need of a man. She remembers one from her youth, the handsome, slim, and very cultured Eng. Bohouš Čerta (litt. “God the Devil, Engineer”, played by the always great Vladimír Menšík), and knows that the one way to a man's heart is through the stomach.

 

Her cooking is immaculate. So are her looks and her apartment (all created by one-time director Krumbachová who worked as a costume designer and screenwriter). Unfortunately, her beau has turned boorish and stuffs his face with all but her and the furniture (is that true?). But cooking she can, and wanting she does. So she cooks and cooks and cooks up some more.

The Mask [Eyes of Hell / The Spooky Movie Show] (Julian Roffman, 1961)

Jul

22

Jaws 3D release day

strobe warning: click to toggle image The Mask (1961)

Rudi Linschoten as Dr Allan Barnes' alter ego in one of the jaw-dropping 3D scenes. With red/cyan glasses you can see the 3D effect in all its eye-popping glory! DP: Herbert S. Alpert.

What would you do if someone sends you a mysterious jade mask that, according to the ill-fated now-dead previous owner, causes terrifying nightmares? Well, you put it on, now! In the name of science Dr Allan Barnes (Paul Stevens) does exactly that and transports him and us – wearing our own Magic Mystic Masks – to a hallucinatory dreamworld with Zardoz-styled floating skulls and their robed devotees.

“Put the mask on, now!”

– recurring on-screen prompt

Julian Roffman's The Mask is an extremely watchable psychotronic affair. The 3D effects during the nightmarish Andreas Vesalius-inspired sequences are well implemented and yes, there's stuff flying at you for all the right reasons. Not quite #WilliamCastle gimmicky, but made with lots of love for the potential of 3D.

盘丝洞 [Pan si dong / The Cave of the Silken Web] (Dan Duyu, 1927)

Jul

14

Pandemonium Day

盘丝洞 (1927)

One of the many demons accompanied by the sisters, having a vision in a cup. DP: Ganting Dan.

Dan Duyu's 盘丝洞 is, in its most literal sense, a fantastic silent interpretation of Wu Cheng'en's 西遊記 / Journey to the West. Monk Tang Sanzang (Meikang Jiang) finds himself trapped in a cave with seven beautiful sisters. Two of Tang Sanzang's faithful disciples, Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) and Zhu Bajie (Pigsy: half man, half pig), need to save him before one of the sisters takes the celibate monk as her husband. What follows is a vigorous display of #wuxia, horror, monkey shenanigans, and – during the pandemonium unfolding in the final act – a small glimpse into the vast pantheon of China's gods and demons.

“Today is our Queen's wedding day, let us drink it up!”

Note that some of the reels are still missing, and the English translation I found is subjective at best, so have a translation app at the ready. Nevertheless, take a moment to dim the lights, and accompany Tang Sanzang, the Monkey King, and Pigsy on their pilgrimage. Even if only for a little while.

La main du diable [The Devil's Hand / Carnival of Sinners] (Maurice Tourneur, 1943)

Jun

27

dinner (late)

La main du diable (1943)

A disgruntled man in a hotel restaurant. DP: Armand Thirard.

– Why so grumpy? – I'm starved! Dinner is always late!

Körkarlen [The Phantom Carriage] (Victor Sjöström, 1921)

Jun

13

International Axe Throwing Day

Körkarlen (1921)

David Holm (Victor Sjöström) attempts to break through a wooden door with the butt of an axe. This scene was the inspiration for the infamous door scene in Kubrick's The Shining (1980). DP: Julius Jaenzon.

“I want to be good, but no one believes me. Is it any wonder I cry?”

– David Holm