cinema history class: the strange door (1951)

The session: "Happy Birthday, Charles Laughton"
In honor of Charles Laughton's Birthday, Keith presented an abbreviated (two-week) session of movies he starred in.

As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL.

Week 2: The Strange Door (1951)
Directed by Joseph Pevney

My Level of Prior Knowledge
I had never heard of it.

Plot:
A highborn madman, infuriated that his sweetheart threw him over for his brother takes elaborate revenge -- and plots even further and more elaborate revenge. Why can't family just get along?

Reaction and Other Folderol:
So soon after I conclude that I just can't get into the movies set in medieval castles, Keith shows us this to prove me wrong. It may be sacrilige, but maybe I just am not into Vincent Price in medieval castles.

At any rate, the early sequence, in which de Beaulieu (did I spell that correctly?) gets snared by Maletroit's (that too?) plot seems to work too well. I'm not sure why that little bit annoyed me, but it did. Happily, things get more interesting and more suspenseful as the film progresses. And in the end, the final exciting sequence (involving the moving wall trap) was played perfectly. If only the plot were a little less convoluted.

Ratings
Me: 9.5
Bob-O: 9.5
Dave: 9.7
Ethan: 9
Joe: 10

cinema history class: the hunchback of notre dame (1939)

The session: "Happy Birthday, Charles Laughton"
In honor of Charles Laughton's Birthday, Keith presented an abbreviated (two-week) session of movies he starred in.

As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL.

Week 1: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
Directed by William Dieterle

My Level of Prior Knowledge
I hadn't heard of this. I mean, I am aware of the novel (though I never read it), but I hadn't heard of this particular adaptation.

Plot:
A high-positioned man, enraged that the woman he wants is not interested in her, unleashes his anger on her and on the deformed man on whom she took pity.

Reaction and Other Folderol:
There were ways that Hunchback felt like an epic, though I think a movie has to somehow have a broader scope to qualify for that term. Joe used the word "spectacle," and I think that's probably more appropriate. Charlie Laughton turned in the performance of a lifetime. How showed a tremendous range of emotions, which managed to show through the extensive makeup that was needed for his role as Quasimodo. There are scenes with thousands of extras, and amazing shots. The violence and torture pushed the envelope (for 1939). This was, overall, an amazing production.

If I had it to do over, I would have rated this a 10, but in class I said 9.5, so that's what I gave it.

Ratings
Me: 9.5
Bob-O: 10
Dave: 10
Ethan: 10
Joe: 10

cinema history class: the raven (1963)

The session: "June is Corman! Corman is June!"
In memory of famed director (who died in May), Roger Corman, we view four films that he directed.

As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL.

Week 4: The Raven (1963)
Directed by Roger Corman

My Level of Prior Knowledge
I hadn't heard of this.

Plot:
Two old sorcerers, jealous of each others' skills and loves, square off in a final battle.

Reaction and Other Folderol:
Featuring three big stars -- Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff and Vincent Price, this was a really well done blend of comedy and magic. The stars were great -- that is, all except for Jack Nicholson, who seemed out of place. He came off more like an extra in an episode of Gidget. Still and all it was a fun watch.

The biggest drawback for me was the fact that, when it came down to it, this was another Vincent price in a castle movie. Those are just not my thing. 

Ratings
Me: 7
Bob-O: 10
Dave: 9.7
Ethan: 9.5
Joe: 10