High School Hellcats (1958)

It's another Sunday in the books which can only mean one thing and that it is another Sunday At The Classics. This is the time when adventure into some of the older films from Hollywood as check out films that were made before 1969 which was considered to be the end of classic Hollywood. I was cruising through Amazon Prime looking for a film when I came across today's title High School Hellcats which was directed by Edward Bernds (The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters) and was released in 1958. The film stars Yvonne Lime (I Was A Teenage Werewolf) as Joyce Martin, a good girl who has just moved into town with her family who just happens to fall in with the bad crowd. You see, she joins a group called the Hellcats which is sort of a sorority at the school to try and feel accepted, but only her new boyfriend and teacher know how dangerous that move can be. The film also stars Brett Halsey (Return Of The Fly) as Mike Landers, Jana Lund (Married Too Young) as Connie Harris, Susanne Sidney (General Electric Theater) as Dolly Crane, Rhoda Williams (Space Master X-7) as Ms. Davis, Robert Anderson (My Friend Flicka) as Police Lt. Manners, Viola Harris (Sex And The City 2) as Linda Martin, and Don Shelton (The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show) as Roger Martin.

This was the era of the teen angst films where they tried to show you how bad the youth of America could be and believe me the poster you see above is more seductive than the whole entire film itself. This is an example of how the choices you make can impact your future and if you choose to run with the bad crowd then expect the judgement you'll receive from others. Joyce is a good kid that decides to make the wrong choice by becoming a Hellcat, but she was the new kid in town who obviously just wants to be accepted at school. The acting for the most part was pretty good especially from Lime, Halsey, Harris, Lund, and Sidney, but there were a couple of instances like at the party where the director must of been like, "Ok, you've been drinking so just act like you think you would if you drank a lot." Only to have some of the results be OK while others were a little cringe, but it's the 1950's. Other than that, everything else in the film is pretty straightforward as far as subplots and such, but I wish we had more suspense towards the end of the film because a little more buildup would have made it better. The opening scene with the substitute teacher also could have been done a lot better than it was. I think they had in their heads how it should go, but just not well executed. It wasn't a bad film at all, it just needed a little work at times, but with that being said I am going to give the film an B for a final grade.

X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes (1963)

The month of June is nearly around the corner so I am trying to get in as many classic films for Sunday At The Classics as I possibly can before that challenge begins. While I was cruising through Amazon Prime, I stumbled upon a film that looked too good to pass up and the film I am talking about is 1963's X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes which was produced and directed by B-movie King Roger Corman (The Little Shop Of Horrors). The film stars Ray Milland (Dial M For Murder) as Dr. James Xavier, a man who is obsessed with the idea of wanting to see more than just what the human eye and brain allows you to see. Through some experiments, he develops an eye drop that instantly gives you x-ray vision, but the only problem is that it comes with a great cost that he does not yet understand. Despite the pleas of colleagues, he will continue his research to the extent that he reaches the point of no return. The film also stars Don Rickles (Toy Story 2) as Crane, Diana Van der Vlis (The DuPont Show Of The Month) as Dr. Diane Fairfax, Harold J. Stone (The Doctors and The Nurses) as Dr. Sam Brant, and John Hoyt (Attack Of The Puppet People) as Dr. Willard Benson.

This was an excellent film and one that I was happy to watch because Ray Milland who I often mix up with Jimmy Stewart was an excellent actor who absolutely commanded the screen every time he was awarded it. As minuscule as they were in terms of what can be done with today's special effects, I thought the effects they used in this film were great and helped tell the story with all of the bizarre colors helping convey his strange visions. I wouldn't mind seeing the film get a remake, but I am afraid that the club scene would actually show nudity in today's version where the original didn't and they really didn't need to because you got the gist of what he could see. The visions definitely worked as colorful as they were, but you could understand how frustrating they must have been for him as much as he may have astonished the fact. The film really has that battle as he fights it within because this is after all what he has always wanted, but the consequences of it are weighing heavily on him as well. It's both a gift and a curse if you get what I am saying and it's one that some will try to expose for their financial gain like the completely serious role that Don Rickles has in this film. I have to be honest in saying that it worked because I could honestly believe the character that Rickles was portraying as being money hungry and misleading. This was probably one of my favorite Sunday At The Classics films that I've watched all year so far which is why I am going to be giving the film an A- for a final grade.

The Aristocats (1970)

It's Mother's Day and I wanted to watch something to help celebrate this very important day and there wasn't really much and I sort of broke my golden rule of Sunday At The Classics. Usually we only view films before 1969, but for today we are watching 1970's The Aristocats which was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman (The Sword In The Stone) and is available on Disney Plus. The film stars Hermione Baddeley (The Secret Of NIMH) as retired opera singer Adelaide Bonfamille who has a fortune, but no benefactors. So one day she decides that she is going to leave her fortune to her beloved cats, but that does not sit well with her butler Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby). So one night Edgar decides that he is going to get rid of them, but with the help of an alley cat, they'll make their way home. The film also stars Eva Gabor (Green Acres) as Dutchess, Dean Clark as Berlioz, Gary Dubin (Pump Up The Volume) as Toulouse,  Liz English (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Marie, Pat Buttram (The Fox and The Hound) as Phil Harris (The Patsy) as O'Malley the alley cat, Napoleon, George Lindsey (Robin Hood) as Lafayette, Scatman Crothers (The Patsy) as Scat Cat,  Sterling Holloway (The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh) as Roquefort.

If the movie itself doesn't seem old then the animation certainly does because it has that old style animation that we were used to seeing from Disney back in those days. Nonetheless, the film actually has a really good story as weird as the notion of leaving all your money to cats may seem. You have the jealous butler who will do whatever it takes to get rid of them and that sequence when he reaches a duo of tough dogs is absolutely hilarious. As soon as they came back on screen for a second time, I could not stop laughing at what was going on. That was pure comedy gold right there and there were a couple of those moments scattered here and there throughout the film. Are French girls really that easy to impress as in are they really that gullible for romance because someone like Dutchess looks like she would never give an alley cat the time of day if she was English prestige or came from English wealth. They are far too snobby for someone like O'Malley, but not Dutchess. All he had to do was lead her and her kids home and she melted right in his arms and paws. Maybe that is what makes the French such romantics because they can see through all the crap life throws at you or maybe it's just a Disney cartoon. Nonetheless, this was definitely a fantastic choice for today and I was happy that I actually took the time to watch. The scene with Scatman Crothers and all of the other alley cats is awesome and the music was cool especially the song they played. What is there not to like about this film? Well, there always is that dastardly butler named Edgar, but nonetheless I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade.

The Comedy Of Terrors (1963)

We are now well into the month of May and I hope everyone is being safe as we all endure the pains of Quarantine and government imposed stay at home orders. I just hope that through this blog, I can give you some suggestions on films to watch and for today's Sunday At The Classics, we have decided to check out 1963's The Comedy Of Terrors which was directed by Jacques Tourneur (I Walked With A Zombie). The film stars Vincent Price (The House On Haunted Hill) as drunkard undertaker Waldo Trumbull who along with his trusty sidekick Felix (Peter Lorre) run a funeral home that isn't quite the most happening place for business in New England. Then you add the pressure of owing rent and now Trumbull has the bright idea that if they are not willing then we shall make them so as he creates his own clients. The film also stars Boris Karloff (Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome) as  Amos Hinchley, Joyce Jameson (The Outlaw Josey Wales) as Amaryllis Trumbull, Joe E. Brown (It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World) as Cemetery Keeper, Beverly Powers (Kisses for My President) as Mrs. Phipps, Orangey The Cat (Breakfast At Tiffany's) as Cleopatra, Luree Holmes (How To Stuff A Wild Bikini) as Black's servant, and Basil Rathbone (The Adventures Of Robin Hood) as John F. Black.

When you have the caliber of actors in this film like Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Basil Rathbone would you expect anything less than a great performance from them? Vincent Price was brilliant as a self centered drunkard who only cared about money more than anything in the world while Peter Lorre played the obedient servant who was only obedient because of a secret that was being held over him. Basil Rathbone on the other hand was the Shakespearean loving landlord who just refused to stay dead in the film which was the comedy of terrors in this film. At points in this film, you will find yourself rooting for Peter Lorre's character as he attempts to get the girl because she deserves better than Trumbull because I sure as heck was rooting for him. I know I didn't mention Boris Karloff in the beginning and that is because he looked like death in this film and while he played his role well, he didn't have to do much, but act like he had one foot in the grave. He does however shine towards the end of the film when he gets his one big scene. I thought the film was a lot of fun to watch and I can imagine that it entertained a lot of horror fans back in the day as this is an original horror comedy as there were a lot of good laughs in this one for sure. I am definitely recommending this one to anyone who loves any of those four gentlemen in this film. That is why I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade so check it out on Amazon Prime right now.

Behave Yourself! (1951)

After today, there are only 35 Sundays left in the whole entire year of 2020 and while it has been a miserable year (worst of my lifetime), we have to soldier on through it. So with that being said, I am here to present you with yet another Sunday At The Classics where we review films that were made before the 1970's which saw the golden age of Hollywood die in 1969. The film that I chose for today is a comedy from 1951 that was written and directed by George Beck (Boy, Did I Get A Wrong Number!) entitled Behave Yourself!. The film stars Farley Granger (Strangers On A Train) as William Calhoun 'Bill' Denny, a guy who seems to have it all except for the fact that he can't remember that it's his anniversary. After unsuccessfully buying a gift, he is followed home by a Welsh terrier who his wife assumes is her anniversary gift, but there is just one problem. Every gangster and hoodlum in the city wants that dog and unfortunately Bill is entangled in this mess that includes the thugs, the cops, and a very nosy and suspecting mother in law. The film also stars Shelley Winters (Lolita) as Kate Denny, William Demarest (Mr. Smith Goes To Washington) as Officer O'Ryan, Francis L. Sullivan (Oliver Twist) as Fat Freddy, Margalo Gillmore (Peter Pan) as Mother, Lon Chaney Jr. (The Wolf Man) as Pinky, Hans Conried (The Patsy) as Gillie The Blade, Elisha Cook Jr. (Rosemary's Baby) as Albert Jonas, and Glenn Anders (M) as Pete The Pusher.

I was actually very impressed with the film and I think not only was it that the writing for it was very good, but the acting was also on point. The film definitely would have not worked if it wasn't for these actors like Granger, Winters, Lon Chaney Jr. (which was nice to see him do something different than horror), Conried, and Demarest. All of them were absolutely fantastic in the film and they made it so enjoyable to watch. It's the classic comedy where all these gangsters or thugs want something that someone innocent stepped into unknowingly and bad things happen that make him look like he could be guilty as well, but we all know he is not. The misadventures that follow based on a newspaper ad are just hilarious and made the film worthwhile. To be perfectly honest though, Granger does deserve the MVP award because he was the star of the film and he commanded it well with his bumbling comedy. The only thing that kind of bothered me was that when the dog would bark, it sounded unauthentic almost like it was a human barking because they couldn't get the sound right. That is probably my only real criticism of the film is the dog barking sounds because other than that I enjoyed the film a lot. Films are enjoyable no matter what era they come from because comedy is comedy and you have to appreciate how far film has come in the last 70 to 100 years. That is why we do Sunday At The Classics, to the films of yesteryear and know just how far we have come. That is why I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.

Svengali (1931)

It's Sunday which can only mean one thing and that is that it's time for another Sunday At The Classics where we view films that were made before the 1970's. The old days were a different time and cinema changed going into the 1970's and there is a whole cavalcade of films to see especially when they star legendary names like today's film does. The film that I am talking about is 1931's Romantic Horror classic Svengali which was directed by Archie Mayo (The Adventures Of Marco Polo) and it's based off of the novel by George L. Du Maurier. The film stars the legendary John Barrymore (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) as the title character and broke down composer Svengali. You see Svengali is the butt of most people's jokes in France since he is a broke composer barely affording to live. All of that will change for Svengali though when he meets the beautiful and charismatic Trilby O'Farrell (Marian Marsh) who has the voice of an angel, but unfortunately Svengali has to use hypnotism to control her. Unfortunately for Svengali, he can't get through to her heart even through hypnotism. The film also stars Bramwell Fletcher (The Mummy) as Billie, Donald Crisp (How Green Was My Valley) as The Laird, Luis Alberni (The Count Of Monte Cristo) as Gecko, Lumsden Hare (The Three Musketeers) as Monsieur Taffy, and Carmel Myers (Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ) as Madame Honori.

One thing is for certain and that is I want to know how they made John Barrymore's eyes go all white the way they did back in 1931? That was one of the coolest scenes in the film and one of the creepiest moments where you were sitting there like can his eyes change back already as it made you uncomfortable. I posted the pic next to this paragraph with Barrymore looking like a cross between Rob Zombie in the Living Dead Girl video and Bela Lugosi in Dracula. They were unfortunately only able to pull this off once in the film because the other time looked like it was straight out of Dracula with the lights going dim on the face except for the eyes. The film isn't very scary, but it what it really is about is a man who is so desperate for love and fame that he will go to any length to get versus the one who just naturally wants it to happen. So, the rest of the film is a wild goose chase as Svengali's powers begin to work against him because he can't buy love with his secret powers. The acting in the film for the most part was pretty good all around, but John Barrymore was the true star of the film as he just oozed of machismo in this film and he was charismatic as well. The only close to touching him in this film was of course Marian Marsh and her performance as the lovable Trilby. I definitely suggest checking this one out for all you cinephiles out there. I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (1967)

I just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a very Happy and safe Easter, I know these are difficult times, but if you are healthy and your family is to then you have to be thankful. For today's Sunday At The Classics, I wanted to check out a film that a lot of my professors talked about for being such a bold film for the time frame that it came out and that films is 1967's Guess Who's Coming To Dinner which was directed by Stanley Kramer (It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World). The film stars Sidney Poitier (In The Heat Of The Night) as Dr. John Prentice and Katharine Houghton (The Last Airbender) as Joey Drayton, an interracial couple who haven't quite told their folks about their relationship. So as a surprise, Joey and John decide to fly to San Francisco to put Joey's liberal parents to the test as they break the news to them. The film also stars Spencer Tracy (Judgement At Nuremberg) as Matt Drayton, Katharine Hepburn (The African Queen) as Christina Drayton, Cecil Kellaway (The Postman Always Rings Twice) as Monsignor Ryan, Beah Richards (In The Heat Of The Night) as Mrs. Prentice, Roy Glenn (Escape from the Planet of the Apes) as Mr. Prentice, and Isabel Sanford (Lady Sings The Blues) as Tilly.

The film was controversial at the time because it was one of the few films that showcased interracial couples in a positive way which wasn't happening very often in Hollywood. In fact, when this film was released in 1967, interracial relationships were still illegal in 17 states and there is one thing that the film nailed on the head. In one scene, I believe it was Tracy told them that it might take 50 years before an interracial couple is fully accepted and he wasn't off when he said that because there are still ignorant people in the world who scoff at it still to this day. That scene in the beginning when Poitier and Houghton are in the taxi and they are kissing must have really turned some heads back in the day. Sadly enough, shortly after the film was finished Spencer Tracy ended up passing away and he put on one hell of a performance in the film and he showcased why he was a legend. In fact, this was the ninth time that Spencer and Hepburn shared the screen together and she was absolutely amazing too. Sidney Poitier of course was the true star of the film with his performance that showcased why he was one of the hot young talents of Hollywood at the time and I am very surprised he wasn't nominated for an Oscar. Nonetheless, I loved the cinematography in this film, I thought it was shot very well and I loved the bright vibrant feel of it as well as far as tone. I loved the shots of San Francisco that you get in the beginning and throughout the film. This is definitely one film that you will want to check out that puts a man and his beliefs to work when he is confronted with it. I am going to give the film an A for a final grade.

The Patsy (1964)

Did you know that after today, there are only 38 more Sundays left in the calendar year which may seem like a lot, but it really isn't with how time flies by. So with that being said, we have another cool Sunday At The Classics for you guys and would believe me if I said I had never seen a Jerry Lewis (The Nutty Professor) film? Well, it's true and thanks to HULU I decided to check out the 1964 comedy The Patsy which was written and directed by Lewis himself. The film follows a comedy writing team who just recently lost their comedy star when he died in a plane crash. Rather than breaking up and go their separate ways they stumble on a nitwit hotel employee named Stanley (Lewis) who they believe they can turn into the next comedy star, but that will prove to be challenging. The film also stars Ina Balin (The Comancheros) as Ellen, Everett Sloane (Citizen Kane) as Caryl Fergusson, Phil Harris (The Jungle Book) as Chic, Keenan Wynn (Dr. Strangelove) as Harry, Peter Lorre (M) as Morgan, John Carradine (The Ten Commandments) as Bruce, Scatman Crothers (The Shining) as Shoeshine Boy, Hans Conried (Peter Pan) as Prof. Mueller, and Del Moore (The Nutty Professor) as The Policeman.

I don't really know the reason why I have never checked out a Jerry Lewis film to be perfectly honest and it's weird because I just never took the time to. To understand what kind of comedian he was, it seems like he was a very physical comedian in where they do a lot of faces and just dumb comedy like stumbling over words and bumping into things to get a laugh which he did succeed to get out of me in a few of the scenes. For Mr. Lewis to have been around as long as he had been, he must of done something right, but what I liked most about this film was the writing and the story. The film was social commentary on Hollywood at the time and how desperate they always were to find the next big thing which still applies to this very day. Just think of how many comedians have come and gone when they tried finding the next Eddie Murphy. The whole film they are riding and dying on the idea of word getting out that they have found the next star even though he seems to be a complete moron. The funny thing is that when they all abandon him at the end, that is when he is the most successful because now he has something to prove to everyone. The real star was born at the very moment in time and it all came from within him and not this comedy team. The film was also stacked with some of the best in the business and it was awesome to see Scatman Crothers in the film, he has his moment with Jerry which was very funny. I definitely think this film was worth checking out and I look forward to more Lewis films in the future so I am going to go ahead and give the film an A- for a final grade.

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1923)

It's another glorious Sunday during the Covid-19 Era, but we have to make the most out of everything the best we can and that means another Sunday At The Classics. For today's classic film, we are taking the time machine to the roaring 20's and we are checking out the silent classic The Hunchback Of Notre Dame which starred the one and only Man of 1000 faces Lon Chaney (The Phantom Of The Opera). Chaney complete transforms himself in the film to play Quasimodo, a the hunchback who has sanctuary in the cathedral of Notre Dame in France. It's the fifteenth century and things are rocky in Paris for King Louis XI (Tully Marshall) so the brother of the archdeacon Jehan (Brandon Hurst) plots with the gypsy king to create a peasant revolt. Meanwhile, Quasimodo falls in love with the gypsy queen, but he'll have to prove someone sinister was responsible for an attempted murder on a captain of the guards in order to save her. The film also stars Patsy Ruth Miller (Fools In The Dark) as Esmeralda, Norman Kerry (The Phantom Of The Opera) as Phoebus de Chateaupers, Kate Lester (The Gay Lord Quex) as Madame de Condelaurier, Nigel De Brulier (Adventures Of Captain Marvel) as Don Claudio, Raymond Hatton (Below The Border) as Gringoire, and the film was directed by Wallace Worsley (The Ace Of Hearts).

One of the disadvantages of the silent era was the fact that you had to be an "Actor" and not someone who thinks they can because you couldn't use your words. It was all based on your movements and facial expressions that helped tell a story because of course the words would come up on a screen, but the actors needed to convey those feelings. One of the bigger stories of this film is obviously the one and only Lon Chaney and how he did in the film. The one answer I can give you on that is that he was masterful as usual from the makeup which I believe he would do himself or at least part of it all the way to the stunts that he was performing even with the makeup and the costume. Lon Chaney was the real deal in Hollywood in those days and this film is just another prime example of why he was adored by so many today. One thing that kind of bothered me was it seemed like they were trying to have two different stories in the film that would coincide with one another, but in the end they just tied together anyways. Other than that, the film was really good for it's time, but the copy that HULU is suffering a little bit as it's getting a little grainy and hard to focus on. I could imagine that it's probably the best they could do especially seeing that most film stock wasn't meant to stay perfect for so long. If you are a film connoisseur then definitely give this one a watch, but for right now I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade.

Forbidden Planet (1956)

We are here with another edition of Sunday At The Classics and we have an interesting one for all of you. For a very long time, Sci-Fi was not a genre that was taken all that serious by most and probably not until Star Wars started changing people's minds. However, there was one film that sort of changed the way people looked at the films and showed that it didn't have to be wild and zany and that is 1956's Forbidden Planet. Leslie Nielsen (Naked Gun) plays Commander Adams, a man in charge of a starship fleet that is sent into space to look for a professor and a crew that has gone missing for 20 years as humans were starting to look for other planets to inhabit. Unfortunately when they get there, the professor and his daughter are the only ones there and they begin to get stalked by an invisible monster. The film also stars Walter Pidgeon (Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea) as Dr. Morbius,  Anne Francis (Bad Day At Bat Rock) as Altaira Morbius, Warren Stevens (Star Trek: The Original Series) as Lt. 'Doc' Ostrow, Jack Kelly (A Fever In The Blood) as Lt. Farman, Richard Anderson (The Six Million Dollar Man) as Chief Quinn, Earl Holliman (The Sons Of Katie Elder) as Cook,  George Wallace (Radar Men From The Moon) as Bosun, and the film was directed by Fred M. Wilcox (I Passed For White).

One of the cool things about this film was the fact that they built a real robot (Robby The Robot) and used it in the actual film. He is an actual robot and not a man inside of a suit which from what I can gather must have been the influence for C3PO and R2D2 in Star Wars. The one thing I was a hard sell on was the very end of the film when they explain who the creature is that is attacking them because it showcases that the film borrowed heavy from Sigmund Freud as they sprinkled him in with some of Shakespeare's The Tempest. one thing that I will say is that I had no idea that at one time, Leslie Nielsen wasn't always a goofball on camera. Nielsen take son a more serious tone for this film and he does it well as he commanded the screen every time he was on it. I thought when I saw that the film was nominated for an Oscar that it was going to be for Nielsen, but in fact it was for special effects which were done very well. I also loved the sets and how they were designed and you have to remember that in 1956, this was all practical effects compared to today's standards. It also helped that Anne Francis was an absolute fox in this film as she was quite stunning and certainly eye candy as she definitely holds her own as well. If you are a fan of Sci-fi then I am definitely suggesting that you check out this film cause it was really enjoyable to watch. That is why I am giving the film an A- for a final grade.

Lady In A Cage (1964)

Last Sunday, we took a week off from Sunday At The Classics, but this week we wanted to get back into the game and I truly believe we have something good for you. While I was searching through HULU looking for a film to watch, I stumbled on a film that while it is listed technically as a horror film, I would say it was more thriller and that is 1964's Lady In A Cage which was directed by Walter Grauman (The Old Man Who Cried Wolf). The film stars Olivia de Havilland (The Adventures Of Robin Hood) as Mrs. Cornelia Hilyard, a wealthy older woman who lives with her 30 year old son while she recovers from hip surgery. In order to get around the house, Ms. Hilyard needs to use an elevator, but one faithful day the power is taken out while poor Ms. Hilyard is trapped inside of it. Then the unthinkable happens as she is terrorized in her own home by some hoodlums who are looking to make a buck. The film also stars James Caan (The Godfather) in his very first role as Randall Simpson O'Connell, Jennifer Billingsley (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) in her first role as Elaine, Rafael Campos (Shirley Temple's Storybook) as Essie, Jeff Corey (Beneath The Planet Of The Apes) as George L. Brady Jr. aka Repent, Ann Sothern (A Letter To Three Wives) as Sade, and  William Swan (The Twilight Zone) as Malcolm Hilyard.

One of the things I took from this film upon watching it is that I could definitely see this film as being used as a source of inspiration for future horror films especially those of the 1970's. I mean the formula may not be that new, but a group of thugs terrorizing people in their own homes or in their homes. Doesn't that sound familiar to any of you out there? I'll name a few like The Last House On The Left or even The Hills Have Eyes, but there are other factors that make me come to my conclusion. One of other factors is the character of James Caan who appears to be an attractive bad boy with a few loose screws, but he is charismatic and commanding of the screen much like David Hess was in The Last House... film or even Otis from The Devil's Rejects trilogy. You know that character who has been through so much that he makes his own set of rules and he lives and dies by them. Jennifer Billingsley's character could very well compare to that of Sherri Moon Zombie's character of Baby, but the difference is Sherri took hers to a whole other level. I thought for the most part that this was a pretty decent film, but the true magic is in the performances of the actors and for that Caan and Olivia de Havilland deserve all the credit for carrying this film and Olivia was masterful as she quickly realizes that she is not so innocent herself. The only thing that frustrated me was the fact that they were spewing out there names like this was a Cagney 1930's gangster movie. No one does that and if you do come up with a cool name instead of reading out you whole birth name. With that being said, I am going to give the film an B- for a final grade.

The Little Shop Of Horrors (1960)

It's another edition of Sunday At The Classics and I couldn't think of a better guy to check out a film from then the legendary b-movie director/producer Roger Corman (The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent). The man in his career and lifetime has directed over 50 films and has produced 415 of them and today we are checking out a film he directed in 1960 in The Little Shop Of Horrors. The film stars Jonathan Haze (X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes) as bumbling idiot Seymour who works at a struggling flower shop on skid row. One day as he is about to get fired, he presents a flower that he had created as a way to save face and make more business for his boss in order to keep his job, but this new plant could end up costing him his life. The film also stars Jackie Joseph (Police Academy 4: Citizens On Patrol) as Audrey, Mel Welles (Attack Of The Crab Monsters) as Gravis Mushnick, Dick Miller (Gremlins 2: The New Batch) as Fouch, Jack Nicholson (One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest) as Wilbur Force, Myrtle Vail (A Bucket Of Blood) as Winifred Krelborn, Karyn Kupcinet (Hawaiian Eye) as Shirley, Leola Wendorff (Alfred Hitchcock Presents) as Mrs. Shiva, Wally Campo (Tales Of Terror) as Sgt. Joe Fink, and Jack Warford (Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype) as Detective Frank Stoolie.

Maybe it was just the type of film that they used at the time or maybe the type of camera, but this was kind of poorly shot. It makes me believe that whatever master copy there is of this film didn't do well over time and what you see is certainly what you get. I was so used to the 80's version of this film with Rick Moranis that I think I was expecting a little bit more from Audrey Jr. only because the 80's version was so much more animated than the caveman feed me more version we had in this film. If the 80's version was the big Hollywood film this was definitely B-movie gold because there were a lot of things to like about this film and that was the acting. Jonathan Haze was exactly what you want a bumbling fool with no confidence to be and he played it with perfection. Even when things were seemingly going great for him, he never lost his identity of who he truly is. I thought Mel Welles was terrific as the owner of the shop who sets of morals were a little twisted around a dollar bill. Sure, what Seymour was doing was bad, but it was bringing him money so why would you talk to the cops? One of the best moments in the film though belongs to the brief introduction of the legend himself Jack Nicholson who plays this twisted idiot who loves pain a little too much. The whole time I kept thinking to myself is that who I think it is? For all the faults the film had, it had some bright spots in it for sure, but I am going to give this film an C+ for a final grade.

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947)

One of my favorite things about this blog and Sundays is that I am trying to take the time to check out some classic cinema. Thanks to Timeless Classic Movies on Youtube, I have a chance to do that for Sunday At The Classics and we have a good one for you today. When I was a kid, Warren Beatty brought us his own version of Dick Tracy which I remember loving as a kid. So, I wanted to check out a classic Dick Tracy film and I present to you Dick Tracy Vs Gruesome. Things are about to get a little complicated for Dick Tracy as a gang of criminals that features a piano player named Melody (Tony Barrett) and an very imposing ex-convict aptly named Gruesome (Boris Karloff) find out that a scientist has developed a nerve gas that freezes everyone temporarily in their place and they use it to rob banks. Now, Tracy and the rest of the police force have very limited amount of time to catch these guys before it's too late. The film stars Anne Gwynne (House Of Frankenstein) as Tess Trueheart, Edward Ashley (Pride And Prejudice) as Dr. L.E. Thal, June Clayworth (Live, Love, and Learn) as Dr. Irma M. Learned, Lyle Latell (Dick Tracy Vs Cueball) as Pat Patton, Skelton Knaggs (Captain Video, Master Of The Stratosphere) as X-Ray, Milton Parsons (The Wild Wild West) as Dr. A. Tomic, Ralph Byrd (Dick Tracy Vs Crime, Inc.) as Dick Tracy, and the film was directed by John Rawlins (Arabian Nights).

One thing that I will say about the film is that I kind of wished that Dick Tracy had a stronger presence in the film than he did. He was barely in the film to the point that I thought the film should have been titled Gruesome Meets Dick Tracy. It was to the point that we were seeing more of his partner Pat then we were of him until the end of the film. Nonetheless, there is a lot to enjoy about this film besides the funny names they came up with for their characters and that is the masterful performance by Boris Karloff. Boris commanded the screen with a presence that just demanded that you stopped everything you were doing to watch him. Gruesome had to be one of the vilest and ruthless villains I can remember as he cleans up all the loose ends and he makes it interesting as he continues to outsmart the police. The acting in the film is really good as everyone brings something to the table which made it enjoyable to watch. One thing that I do wish wee got was more of those outrageous characters like Flattop or even Pruneface would have been cool, but as I said we had Gruesome. If you're into 1930's styled police capers and what not then this is definitely one to check out or if you love Karloff as much as I do then check it out for sure. His performance alone in the film jumped the final grade to an B. 

White Zombie (1932)

It's another Sunday at the Classics and for this week I wanted to check out a classic film starring the one and only Bela Lugosi (Dracula). One of the first metal bands to name their group after a horror film was Black Sabbath and the trend would continue into the 1980's with the birth of White Zombie who were fronted by rocker/director Rob Zombie (House Of 1000 Corpses), but unlike Sabbath I had never seen the film for which Zombie named his band after until today. The film White Zombie was released in 1932 a year after Lugosi had starred as Dracula, but in this one Lugosi stars as witch doctor 'Murder' Legendre. A young couple is about to arrive in Haiti to get married at the home of the wealthy Charles Beaumont (Robert Frazer), but little do they know that Beaumont has other plans in store for them and it involves the witch doctor who has interior motives himself. The film also stars  Madge Bellamy (Black Paradise) as Madeline Short Parker, John Harron (Below The Line) as Neil Parker, Joseph Cawthorn (The Taming Of The Shrew) as Dr. Bruner, Brandon Hurst (The Man Who Laughs) as Silver, George Burr Macannan (Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon) as Von Gelder - Zombie, Frederick Peters (Miracles Of The Jungle) as Chauvin - Zombie, and the film was directed by Victor Halperin (The Unknown Lover).

One thing you have to remember about a film like this is that it was made in 1932 and all of the special effects are practical. What I mean by practical is that they are going to have a horrible looking vulture fly around when you can definitely see the string attached to him at the time and I can appreciate the effort that went into it. The only thing I could really appreciate were the zombies and not because they looked like flesh eating dead people, but in 1932 zombies in the west indies were newly dead people who were brought back to be mindless drones. That was always the belief and it was shown in films like In The Mouth Of Madness which owes a debt to this film. One of the true highlights of the film was obviously Bela Lugosi who at times was masterful especially when he was going through his diabolical spiel as he turned you into a zombie. I definitely loved his death scene as you can so tell that it was a dummy that hits the water on the way down, but again that's due to special effects being what they were in 1932. One of the things that bothered me about the film were the transition scenes that featured every basic transition that you can get with Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, but again I forgive it for the fact that it came out in 1932, but one thing I can't forgive is that man in blackface. Dan Crimmins plays a random witch doctor who is wearing make up and the worst part about is that they had plenty of African Americans with roles in the film itself. It's a head scratcher, but there are things to like about the film as much as there are things to hate about it. That is why I am giving it an C+ for a final grade.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)

We are well in our second month which means I am still committed and it's another Sunday which can only mean one thing. It's Sunday at the Classics and we have an interesting one lined up for you guys today. There are a lot of classic films from another time that I never had the chance to watch so when I was strolling through Netflix, I came across one title and I decided to go for it. The name of the film is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and it stars Dick Van Dyke (Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb) as struggling inventor and single father of two kids Caractacus Potts who just needs one big break before he is rich. A chance encounter with the beautiful Truly Scrumptious (Sally Ann Howes), the heir to the largest candy manufacture in England sends them on a wild journey of discovery, barons, and quite the amazing car that goes chitty chitty bang bang. The film also stars Lionel Jeffries (The Amazing Mr. Blunden) as Grampa Potts, Adrian Hall (Two People) as Jeremy,  Heather Ripley as Jemima, Gert Fröbe (Goldfinger) as Baron Bomburst, Anna Quayle (A Hard Day's Night) as Baroness Bomburst, James Robertson Justice (The Guns Of Navarone) as Lord Scrumptious, Robert Helpmann (The Red Shoes) as Child Catcher, Benny Hill as The Toy Maker, and the film was directed by Ken Hughes (Casino Royale).

I have to say that if you didn't watch a film like this when you were a child then you may not enjoy these types of films as an adult and I for one did not enjoy this film. I am not saying that it was a terrible movie, I just couldn't take a lot of the singing and the music. I may have just not been in the mood for Dick Van Dyke if I am being honest. Often when I am watching a film, I like to know that there is consistency in the film like for one, the film takes place in England, his father is British, and his children are British so tell me why is he speaking with an American accent? It's like what If I took Andrew Dice Clay, told him not to change the way he spoke, but told him he was the son of a Mexican war hero and his kids were Mexican. He could’ve of at least tried to speak with a British accent or were there not any British leading men at the time? Like where was Roger Moore he would have been OK in the role. The only person that made this film interesting was the child catcher because what do you do all day if you have no more kids to catch. I mean if you saw the way he acted in the film, you could see why he was eager to do the job. Nonetheless, I couldn't wait for the film to end, but it was beautifully shot, well acted (except for Dick's accent), and well written. So, I guess have to be a little nice at this point and I'll give the film an B- for a final grade. 

The Stranger (1946)

Back on a different blog and the last challenge I did, we used to dedicate Sundays to the classic films of Hollywood as we called it Sunday At The Classics. We checked out films like Breakfast At Tiffany's, To Catch A Thief, etc. and you can read all of those here. We missed out on doing this during the first three Sundays of the month, but better late than never as we present to you 1946's The Stranger which was directed by the great Orson Wells (Citzen Kane) who also stars in the film. The film stars Edward G. Robinson (Little Caesar) as Mr. Wilson, a detective from the War Crimes Commission who is tasked with chasing down Nazi war criminals. Although, one man has been so elusive that Wilson is desperate to try anything to catch the mysterious Franz Kindler who was the true mastermind of the Nazi party. What does Wilson do? He lets another former Nazi go because he believes it will lead him to Kindler and he ends up tracking him all the way to a small town in Connecticut where a Nazi is indeed living among them.  The film also stars Loretta Young (The Farmer's Daughter) as Mary Longstreet, Wells as Professor Charles Rankin, Philip Merivale (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) as Judge Adam Longstreet, Richard Long (House On Haunted Hill) as Noah Longstreet, Konstantin Shayne (Vertigo) as Konrad Meinike, and Billy House (Bedlam) as Mr. Potter.

I didn't know quite what to expect from the film, but it was actually a very good film. I loved the fact that right from the start we identify who Kindler is, but now it's up to the rest of the actors to figure it out. Kindler right away kills the one man who could positively ID him and unfortunately for Mr. Wilson, he was knocked out before he could see the two men meet. So, now he has to do some real investigating and one conversation during a dinner meeting gives it all away and he has found his man. The only problem is that he just cant go and accuse the man, he has to smoke him out and be clever about it. That is where the real meat and potatoes of the film is and where the film gets really good. The film features a whose who of old Hollywood and they are just absolutely fantastic so it's safe to say that the acting in the film was great. If you noticed this far into my review that I have not identified Kindler because that is for you to do on your own. I was never really sure about how I felt when it came to Orson Wells as an actor, but the man is legit and he deserves a lot of credit for this film. One scene that is exciting is the town clock scene where one of the deaths occurs and it's a fitting death. The film is listed as being a film noir, but I didn't really see it cause it only contains so much of it within it. Check out the film for yourselves, I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.