Monster from the Ocean Floor

Director - Wyott Ordung (Robot Monster, Target Earth)

Starring - Anne Kimbell (Dragnet, Port Sinister), Stuart Wade (Teenage Monster, Death Valley Days), and Dick Pinner (Red Snow, The Mob)

Release Date - 1954

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Terror strikes... from beneath the sea!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Do you ever sit around and day dream about time travel?  Would you go to historic events and witness them first hand or try to change the history of mankind for the better?  No me.  If I could time travel I would visit the different eras in cinema history to see the films when they were first released.  I've always been a fan of the no budget Roger Corman drive-in era so it would have been cool to watch a double feature of these films at the drive-in.  A few days back I received the blu release of the 1954 creature feature Monster from the Ocean Floor from my friends over at Film Masters.  This is one I had never seen before and couldn't wait to dig into it.  Like always, I want to thank Film Masters for sending this one my way.

     The film follows a young woman on vacation in Mexico who befriends two deep sea scientists who are working on a way to cultivate plants in the water.  Things take an unexpected turn when one of their crew turns up missing but his scuba gear is found undamaged.  Their investigation into his disappearance uncovers an aquatic monster that the locals have feared for decades.

     Monster from the Ocean Floor is not a film that I can confidently say that I enjoyed.  In fact, I highly doubt I will ever watch this one again.  Corman's films, especially the earlier produced films, are very hit or miss with Monster from the Ocean Floor being a miss.  Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I got to check it out and it's awesome seeing something that a legend like Corman had his hands on but this is a flick that many genre fans can live without.  The acting in this one is pretty solid from the short cast.  The film's leads do a solid job at bringing cliched characters yet likable characters to life.  A few of the scenes were a bit awkward to watch but they are few and far in between.  The story for this one is pretty straight forward and predictable.  If you've seen any monster movie from this era then you know exactly what to expect.  With that being said, an awesome monster or characters that stand out makes this one extremely slow and hard to finish.  Finally, don't go into this one expecting awesome monsters and a lot of gore because both will leave you disappointed.  Overall, Monster from the Ocean Floor is not a great film especially for the time.  It's easily forgettable.  However, fans of the late Roger Corman will want to add this one to their collections.  The blu looks great from Film Masters and I know collectors will want to snag it while they can!

The Mad Magician

Director - John Brahm (The Twilight Zone, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour)

Starring - Vincent Price (Theater of Blood, The Hilarious House of Frightenstein), Mary Murphy (Circle of Fear, My Favorite Spy), and Eva Gabor (Green Acres, The Rescurers)

Release Date - 1954

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "Astonishing!  Astounding! Amazing!"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

    

     Vincent Price is one of my favorite actors from the black and white age of horror.  He never lets me down but there has been a few times where he was brilliant but the film was not as entertaining.  When Umbrella Entertainment announced the double feature of Price's The Tingler and The Mad Magician I was really excited to check it out.  The Tingler is one I've always enjoyed but I had never seen 1954's The Mad Magician before.  It was a fun flick but an easily forgettable one as well.  

     The film follows Don Callico (Price) who has spent his life creating illusions for several of the world's biggest names in stage magic.  However, after dedicating so many of his years doing this for other people he has decided to star in his own stage show.  Sadly, his big day is ruined when his boss stops the show and confiscates his newest act.  Heartbroken and destroyed, he sets out to kill all those people that has ruined his dreams and broke his heart.

     The Mad Magician is enjoyable but it's not as fun as other films he has been in.  You would think that I would enjoy this a lot more considering it was a proto-slasher but the way in which it was done distracts the viewer.  I wanted to love it as much as I do his other films but it wasn't as fun.  The acting in this one is actually pretty fun.  Price delivers a stellar performance as always while channeling different personalities.  Honestly, aside from the hallucination scene in The Tingler, this is probably his most ambitious performance that I had seen.  The supporting cast is entertaining but they don't touch Price.  The story for this one is similar to the classic slashers several decades before they were trendy.  We follow someone that was wronged as they seek out and murder those that did him ill.  The film works for the most part but I'm not much of a fan of the magic back drop.  Nothing about the film feels terrifying or menacing.  In fact, the only reason I enjoyed the film was because of how over the time Price was in the film.  Finally, like most films of the mid-50s, this one is not gruesome of bloody.  We get a few camera tricks and fun camera angles but The Mad Magician lacks atmosphere and bloodshed.  Overall, The Mad Magician is fun for a first time watch but it doesn't really hold up well nor does it deliver on the chills that other 50s classics starring Price does.  It's worth at least one watch but that's it.  

Rear Window

Director - Alfred Hitchcock (The Birds, Psycho)

Starring - James Stewart (Vertigo, The Mountain Road), Grace Kelly (Dial M for Murder, Suspense), and Wendell Corey (Women of the Prehistoric Planet, Picture Mommy Dead)

Release Date - 1954

Genre - Thriller

Tagline - "The master of suspense brings you his masterpiece"

Format - 4K Ultra HD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When most people think of the golden age of Hollywood they often think of star like Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and John Wayne.  However, I often think of Alfred Hitchcock and all his contributions to cinema history.  Not really known for horror, but he was a master of suspense with many of his thrillers often cited as some of the best movies in movie history.  I've watched my fair share of Hitchcock films but one movie I had never seen was his 1954's Rear Window starring James Stewart.  I had heard about this film and how it was considered one of Hitchcock's best for years but I never got the opportunity until the 4K Alfred Hitchcock Collections was sent my way for review.  

     The film follows Jeff (Stewart) who is wheelchair bound after an accident leaves his leg in a cast.  A photographer by trade, he finds himself observing people in the apartment building across the way from his.  His people watching takes a suspicious turn when he believes a man has murdered his invalid wife.  He tries to get the police involved but they believe that this is just the musings of a man with too much time on his hands.  He then turns to his girlfriend and hired help to investigate him.

     I had always heard great things about Rear Window but I never took the time to pick up a copy for viewing so I was very excited when I was sent this 4K release.  With that being said, this movie was absolutely amazing.  Hitchcock is the master of suspense and Rear Window is the reason he is called that.  The movie is damn near perfect and I can see myself revisiting this one again soon.  The acting in this one is classic.  James Stewart is a legend in Hollywood and his performance in Rear Window is absolutely phenomenal.  His character, though wheelchair bound, brings some intensity to the film.  He never disappoints in his scenes and his character carries the entire film on his shoulders.  The supporting cast is just as fantastic but Stewart is amazing.  The story for this one is a top notch thriller full of atmosphere and tension.  Hitchcock's approach to story telling is a slow build up that finally explodes right before the story ends.  With Rear Window that slow build, mixed with character development, works so well.  The story may not be the most original or clever but it flows so damn well and still delivers even though it is predictable.  Finally, this is not a bloody piece of cinema.  Instead, it is a character driven narrative that works for a mystery instead of horror.  Overall, Rear Window is a fucking must for movie fans.  It's not a horror film so fans of other genres can really appreciate this classic work.  The 4K release is absolutely stunning and really did impress me.  The image and audio is just as flawless as the film itself.