The old dark house is a 1932 film about five travelers seeking shelter from a storm who are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the femm family estate. The old dark house 1963 film, a comedymystery film. In black are countries that were not democracies in 2015. This is william castles remake of the james whale 1932 classic the old dark house based on the book by j. The old dark house blazed a trail in defining the psycho family film, a horror subgenre populated by notables such as spider baby 1964, the texas chain saw massacre 1974, and the devils rejects 2006, films which in many ways it bears more of a resemblance to than closer contemporaries like the monster 1926 or the ghost breakers. Mar 09, 2016 i have no clue about rights to the film in any territory or format. Perhaps the last 15 minutes tend towards straight melodrama, and the love stuff between douglas and bond is a bit drippy.
In the old dark house, however, director james whale uses a house in a different, more rewarding way. The wonderfully overthetop acting by thesiger, moore and karloff is effective because it is delivered through sharply cut sequences that make great use of closeups, after establishing shots that themselves use. Sherriff and benn levy, based on the 1927 novel benighted by j. The old dark house masters of cinema dual format bluray. The old dark house mystery was a pet subject of theatrical productions in new york and abroad during the 1920s and 1930s, and. Dark horse comics is an american comic book and manga publisher. Priestley author see all 4 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Oct 12, 2017 the old dark house is a fascinating film and this bluray high definition presentation will make a great many people happy to be able to revisit this timeless classicor enjoy this masterpiece for the first time. The old dark house is a lot of fun, a genuinely quirky mix of laughs, chills, suspense and hey, even a bit of good old fashioned romance thrown into the mix for kicks. The old dark house, beginning a weeklong run friday at the quad cinema in an excellent 4k digital restoration, opens on a dark and stormy night with a bickering young couple, margaret.
The movies debut on the bluray format is simply outstanding surprisingly originally the old dark house was considered a lost film. If an internal link incorrectly led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Long thought lost, the old dark house was rediscovered in the early 1970s. Presented with an avc mpeg 4 1080p encode and framed at the correct aspect ratio of 1. Of the movies you listed, i only like dead of winter, a little. List of old dark house movies, a list of films by rugby. And now forty years later this phenomenon of propaganda jumps to our world straight from. Our week of olddarkhouse movies ends, naturally, with. The carolina theater in durham, nc, is playing whales version of the old dark house on friday may 27, 2016. Even if it hadnt been essentially lost, james whales the old dark house 1932 wouldnt ever have fit, exactly, on the mount rushmore of universals horror greats.
Driving through a terrible rainstorm, philip and margaret waverton raymond massey, gloria stuart and their prankster friend, penderel melvyn douglas, suddenly find the road blocked by avalanches. For years, horace had been locked up with little more than the superego and id to keep him company, and by the looks of things, those years were gloomy at best. Freedom house is founded on the core conviction that freedom flourishes in democratic. Discover what genre the old dark house, 1932, directed by james whale, with boris karloff, melvyn douglas, charles laughton, belongs at turner classic movies. Curtis harrington saves the old dark house an archival interview with director curtis harrington about his efforts to save the old dark house at a time when it was considered a lost film. Trying to make the best of it, the guests must deal with their sepulchral host, horace femm and his obsessive, malevolent sister rebecca. The old dark house is also the most british film ever made on american soil. Long lost horror film the old dark house stands as one of. One of the first in this genre and inspiring decades of similar films the old dark house is an interesting and suspenseful look at early horror comedies.
Not to be confused with haunted house movies, which tend to involve ghosts or some other supernatural entity in a horror setting. The old dark house 1932 film, an american precode horror film. For the most part, the picture is pristine, theres very little print damage at all and cleanup job that was done for this release is impressive. Featuring charles laughtons hollywood debut and created by the classic pairing of james whale and carl laemmle, jr. Check out the new trailer starring boris karloff, melvyn douglas, and charles laughton. Iy contains all the stock characters of the old dark house genre an old curse on the owner of a stolen treasure, who is now cursed and wheelchair bound, the others who should have benefited from his archaeological discoveries actually the theft in question including a mildmannered.
Data and paper available for download at papaioannous website. The old dark house 1932 creakymansion mysteries were a staple of stage and screen throughout the 1920s and early 30s. The old dark house is perfect late night viewing material boris karloff as the deranged butler terrorising those unlucky to be stranded for the night in the old dark house is pure classic karloff. The femms robert morley as roderick, janette scott as cecily, fenella fielding as morgana, joyce grenfell as agatha explain to american tom poston that they dont believe hes been sent to their english home by accident, in william castles remake the old dark house, 1963. This atmospheric thriller features an unforgettable postfrankenstein horror role for boris. Curtis harrington saves the old dark house an archival interview with director curtis harrington about his efforts to save the old dark house at a time when it was considered a lost film eureka. Beware the night seeking shelter from a pounding rainstorm in a remote region of wales, several travellers are admitted to a gloomy, foreboding mansion belonging to the extremely strange femm family. With tom poston, robert morley, janette scott, joyce grenfell. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app.
Although little seen since its original release, the old dark house 1932 had by the 1960s attained a graillike status among fans of director james whale, whose beloved universal horror films included frankenstein 1931, the invisible man 1933, and the bride of frankenstein 1935. In the horror genre, when a house stands out as a primary component, it is often going to be haunted. The films selfreferential humorwhich anticipated whales own bride of frankenstein. The performances are strong and the films influence is undeniable. A rather silly murder mystery with a number of murders and little mystery certainly not a horror film. A subgenre that leans toward comedy, farce, and whodunit mysteries. The old dark house arrives on blu ray from cohen media with an exemplary transfer taken from a brand new 4k restoration.
Special feature in association with chapter darkened rooms. The old dark house is a creepy comedy of characters and manners, an ironic shaggy dog story and a beautifully shot and edited film. Our week of olddarkhouse movies ends, naturally, with the. Directed by james whale, fresh off the success of the previous years frankenstein, the old dark house features the star of whales previous film, boris karloff, alongside gloria stuart, charles laughton, and raymond massey, among others. Stranded travellers stumble upon a strange old house and find themselves at the mercy of a highly eccentric and potentially dangerous family. Things like seldomvisited rooms, locked closets, and atodds inhabitants provide rich ground for such use. James whales 1932 comedyhorror classic is wonderfully subversive combines some genuinely grisly elements with scenes that could have slipped out of a pg wodehouse comedy. Apr 27, 2018 t he great scarymovie ancestor is rereleased. Its not just that it exploited the finest that yorkshire, surrey, worcestershire and thesiger, of course. The original starred charles laughton, melvyn douglas, raymond massey, ernest thesiger forever famous as dr. The old dark house is a fascinating film and this bluray high definition presentation will make a great many people happy to be able to revisit this timeless classicor enjoy this masterpiece for the first time.
President barack obamas inaugural address obama white house. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. An american who sells cars in england receives a mysterious invitation from an old, eccentric millionaire to visit his house in which he lives with. I am quite a fan of the old dark house genre of films people are stuck in usually old and dark house, and are chased by a seemingly supernatural menace or impossible murderer. Cohen has done an excellent job bringing this one to bluray. In england, an american car salesman endsup spending a stormy night at the mysterious and deadly mansion of a clients family. The majority of the worlds countries are now democracies. Yes ive seen night watch, downloaded it a few years ago, i thought it was terrible. The old dark house 1963 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. A group of strangers having to spend the night in a house, mansion or castle. Its a road map for hundreds of films which would follow. Priestleys novel benighted into a nervejangling tale that became the template for all spookyhouse chillers to come. To view and download older and historic editions of freedom in the world, or to.
The old dark house is a 1932 film about five travelers seeking shelter from a storm who are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the femm family estate directed by james whale. The year after james whale directed frankenstein, he tried his hand at that genre. Oct 04, 2017 even if it hadnt been essentially lost, james whales the old dark house 1932 wouldnt ever have fit, exactly, on the mount rushmore of universals horror greats. I had never expected to see a bluray release of this movie and i am extremely grateful for cohen to add this film to their cohen. Pretorius in the bride of frankenstein and boris karloff. Priestly, the old dark house is the second of james whales classic horror films frankenstein. Old dark house, the 1963 movie clip the morgan the pirate. The old dark house is a 1963 britishamerican comedy horror film directed by william castle. Prior to the release of the old dark house 1932, a secondfiddle chiller that reunited director james whale and stars boris karloff after the overnight success of frankenstein, motion pictures of similar persuasions were confined to the realm of silence. I did get a reply from jim carl who has been doing an excellent job for years with great projection of 35mm, dcp, and bluray when no better option at the carolina theater in durham nc, and he said that the old dark house would be screened from a bluray provided from kino. When it 1st started i expected id like this movie but as it went on, i was just waiting for it to be over. Not to be confused with haunted house movies, which tend to involve ghosts or some other supernatural entity in a horror setting some common old dark house tropes include.
Long lost horror film the old dark house stands as one. In the old dark house, motivation and happiness are dependent upon more than the innerworkings of the psyche. The old dark house is eccentric and weird in a way that surely inspired the cartoonist charles addams karloffs morgan is undoubtedly an influence on addams goonish butler, lurch. It is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name directed by james whale. Stranded travelers stumble upon a strange old house, and find themselves at the mercy of a highly eccentric and potentially dangerous family. Whale has absurd fun with every aspect of the spooky house genre, even as he refuses to fall into the usual dinnertheater traps. A deft blend of wellchosen ingredients, the old dark house is a delightfully scary horror comedy that benefits from james whales suspenseful direction. Oct 05, 2017 the old dark house, beginning a weeklong run friday at the quad cinema in an excellent 4k digital restoration, opens on a dark and stormy night with a bickering young couple, margaret. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched. After the ball 1897 1st adult movie georges melies worlds first filmed bath apres le bal.
With old friends and former foes, well work tirelessly to lessen the. The bona fides of the 1932 film the old dark house should be enough to recommend it. Priestley originally published under the name benighted, and the new screenplay was written by robert dillon. The old dark house makes its bluray debut on a 50gb disc in an avc encoded 1080p high definition transfer framed at 1. Old dark house, the 1963 movie clip the morgan the. Dont believe anyone who tells you its a hidden gem.
James whales 1932 drama the old dark house a film that was part of universal studios deliriously successful run of horror films in the pre. An exciting haunted house that remains as the oldest homegrown horror in the fort walton beach area of florida. Freedom house has analyzed challenges to freedom and advocated for. Ive always wished that maybe one of the local cinemas would run. Canadas history of suppressing black activism is coming to light like never before, thanks to researchers like. The old dark house is out in a dual format edition on 21 may 2018.
330 303 888 395 1338 328 752 487 590 1128 1217 772 160 1122 588 1088 1032 410 1080 432 1304 1368 586 525 326 1463 633 1307 855 1406 1488 769