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Post by loverofbeers on Oct 31, 2014 15:48:05 GMT -5
About to go back to work. I have only had two days off this month but the great news is I was offered a promotion yesterday.
Five more movies and I have now watched at least one film from every decade of the Horror genre's history.
First I watched Halloween III Season of the Witch (1982) which is the only movie from this series that does not have Michael Myers in it. I watched this for the second time.
Next was John Carpenter's classic Halloween (1978) which I have seen dozens of times. One of my favorites and I love PJ Soles and The Shape. A Cheers! to PJ.
Third I watched the first Horror film ever from December 1896. The Devil's Castle aka The Manor of the Devil aka The Haunted Castle aka Le Manoir du Diable from The Star Film Company, a French film production company run by the illusionist and film director Georges Méliès.
Next I watched Les Trésors de Satan aka The Treasures of Satan (1902), my second viewing, and was about a thief trying to steal from the Devil only to be attacked by five female demons with spears.
Lastly I watched Edison's Frankenstein (1910). This was the first American Horror film.
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Post by loverofbeers on Nov 1, 2014 2:14:27 GMT -5
I watched four short and early silent Horror films.
First I watched Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912). From Wikipedia, "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a 1912 horror film based on both Robert Louis Stevenson's novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) and on the play version (1887) of Thomas Russell Sullivan. Directed by Lucius Henderson, the film stars actor (later noted film director) James Cruze as the dual role of Jekyll/Hyde". This movie was 12 minutes long and not as good as the next movie I watched.
Second I watched Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1913), directed by Herbert Brenon and Carl Laemmle, written by Brenon and produced by Laemmle, which was a very good movie to me. This version is three times as long running at 26 minutes. The 1912 version had a soundtrack added to the film. The 1913 one is completely silent. I especially liked King Baggot's portrayal of both Jekyll and Hyde. As Hyde he would almost resemble a chimpanzee mixed with a human by simply his posture and movements. It was one of my two favorite portrayal by an actor of these dual characters. I like the John Barrymore 1920 version a bit more though.
Third I watched Barbe-bleue (1901) which is French for "Bluebeard". It was a Horror drama directed by Georges Méliès about a murderous aristocrat marring his eighth wife because he had murdered the previous seven and hung them up in a side room. It was much darker and sinister than other Meleis movies which are usually much simpler in plot and more about hijinks by demons, ghosts, or other things that go bump in the night. It is longer than most Melies movies running at 9 minutes.
Fourth I watched The Haunted Curiosity Shop (1901) a British short silent Horror film, directed by Walter R. Booth, featuring an elderly curiosity dealer alarmed by various apparitions that appear in his shop. This reminded me in "personality" to a Meleis film. It was two minutes long.
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Post by loverofbeers on Nov 1, 2014 2:48:06 GMT -5
Watched four shorts from the first years of cinema.
The first two are two films by early British director George Albert Smith, both from 1897. The Haunted Castle, a remake of the Méliès film and The X-Ray Fiend aka X-Rays. I especially like The Haunted Castle and I prefer it to the earlier Lemeis version as more realistic while still mirroring the original film.
Third Le Monstre or The Monster (1903), another Georges Lemeis short that I liked last year. This one runs at a bit more than two minutes in length and is very dark in humor and awesome dancing from a ghost/skeleton.
Last I watched Le Cake-Walk Infernal French for The Infernal Cake Walk (1903) which I watched last year and really enjoyed. This version has a soundtrack by Instant Jazz Quintet that is perfect. And I love the dancing, all of it which lasts for five and a half minutes.
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Post by loverofbeers on Nov 1, 2014 3:59:30 GMT -5
Watched four more turn-of-the-century silent shorts from two directors.
First two were by Segundo de Chomón shorts.
Satán se Divierte aka Satan S'amuse (1907). This has been the darkest, most cruel representation and best looking Satan yet. All bones and horns. And a female rival destroys the Dark Master. I recommend.
Next I watched Segundo de Chomón's first Horror short, El Hotel Eléctrico aka La Casa Encantada aka La Casa Hechizada and aka The Haunted House (1907 or 1908). This was an excellent film that as far as plot goes, goes further than all the previous shorts I have watched, with great effects and a very Japanese demon/spirit haunting of a house in the country. I recommend.
Next I watched two shorts by Walter R. Booth from England and both from 1899. First was The Sword which included witches, ghosts, and giant humanoids. I liked it.
Second was The Miser's Doom. A man gets assaulted by a spirit in an inn. It rivaled Meleis earliest films. I liked it.
And the competition ends with me far from my goal for sixty movies.
I did drink many pumpkin beers and a few new beers which I might post tomorrow night. October ends....
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