ON THIS DAY in 1787, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni was performed for the first time at the Teatro di Pragain in Prague. In 1979, Joseph Losey directed DON GIOVANNI, a cinematic adaptation of the opera.
DONOVAN’S BRAIN(1953; with Lew Ayres, Nancy Davis; directed by Felix Feist)
No doubt you’ve encountered bodies without brains in your daily life. Like that lummox who cut in front of you in line. But how about a brain without a body? Can it exist on its own, with a little help from a brainy brain doctor? Lew Ayres plays that specialist with the good intentions of saving the cranium of accident victim Donovan, an industrial tycoon. However, things go awry (you didn’t expect a situation like this to go smoothly, did you?). Ayres, once a peaceful personality (as he famously was in real life) becomes aggressive and cruel, and it’s soon apparent that the disembodied brain is causing the side effects. DONOVAN’S BRAIN is a very good movie–creepy and intelligently written. Maybe not the “most fantastic story your startled eyes have ever beheld!”, as it’s billed, but there is an added layer of interest. Nancy Davis, future First Lady Nancy Reagan, plays Ayres’ wife in the movie. Davis by this time was married to Reagan, his second wife. Reagan’s first wife, Jane Wyman, had left Reagan for a relationship with Ayres, one that did not result in marriage. (Note: When I was little, my friends and I thought that eating Smarties would make us smart. Some would say that I am now living proof that our theory was flawed.)
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
ON THIS DAY in 1903, author and journalist Evelyn Waugh was born. Waugh’s novel, BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, was adapted by the BBC for a 1981 TV series starring Jeremy Irons.
English: Screenshot from Le Voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) (1902) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
George Méliès, magician and magical filmmaker, made 520 short films from 1896 to 1913. What an honor and thrill it is to see a collection of these works of art narrated by his great granddaughter Marie-Hélène Lehérissey-Méliès. To make this ciné-concert even more special, the films are shown with brilliant piano accompaniment provided by his great-great grandson Lawrence Lehérissey-Méliès, who, by the way, is a spittin’ image of his legendary grandpa.
Home Projectionists thrive on creating cinematic experiences in their own abodes. This one, however, would be impossible to duplicate. Plan to get to Minneapolis, Ann Arbor, or Boston in the next couple of days to experience this must-see event. For a complete schedule, go to http://www.live-boutique.com/site/-Cine-concert-Georges-Melies-.html?mode=agenda
The ciné-concert features 15 of his masterful films, including my favorites, “The Man with the Rubber Head,” “Bluebeard,” “The Fairy Caraboose,” “Cake Walk Infernal,” and a fascinating re-enactment of the “Coronation of Edward VII.” Each and every one is a delight and treasure, showcasing the genius, spirit, and magic of Méliès brought to life by his innovative use of stop motion, time lapses, and dissolves, not to mention the beautiful hand tinting that appears in a few of the films.
It’s been more than 100 years since George Méliès brought his artistic visions to life. They’re still sheer cinema magic.
Gloria Bowman is a writer, storyteller, blogger, movie lover, freelance editor,
and author of the novel, Human Slices.
Access her blog at www.gloriabowman.com; on Twitter @GloriaBow
ZOTZ!(1962; with Tom Poston, Jim Backus; directed by William Castle)
Everyone knows Dots, the colorful gumdrops introduced in 1945 and sold at finer movie theaters everywhere. Safe to say not everyone knows about ZOTZ!, however. The cigar-chomping director and producer William Castle was coming off a string of fairly big hits, including MR. SARDONICUS, THE TINGLER, 13 GHOSTS, HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and the underrated, PSYCHO-inspired HOMICIDE, when he apparently was“inspired” by Walt Disney’s 1961 blockbuster, THE ABSENT MINDED PROFESSOR. To say “inspired” is putting it kindly. Perhaps calling this a horror movie is a stretch, too, but ZOTZ! does have a few scary scenes–at least in the family movie sense.
The story involves a professor (Fred MacMurray—er, Tom Poston, that is) and an ancient, magical coin that he’s found. The coin isn’t legal tender, but it nevertheless does have some intriguing uses. Such as allowing the holder to simply point his or her finger at someone and a) cause them pain, b) make them move in slow motion, or c) kill them. It also makes a difference whether you say “Zotz!” or not. Needless to say, these monetary-induced powers must be used judiciously, and preferably by a person who doesn’t hold too many grudges. Poston is a pretty good guy, but naturally other folks wouldn’t mind having this currency for their own sinister desires. Among the usual suspects are the dreaded Russians (this being the early 60s after all). Not only do hijinks ensue, but it’s surprising that Disney didn’t sue as well.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
ON THIS DAY in 1936, American socialite Wallis Simpson filed for divorce, eventually leading to marriage with King Edward VIII and his abdication to the throne. This event was dramatized in the 2005 BBC TV movie, WALLIS & EDWARD, starring Joely Richardson.
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS(1956; with Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter; directed by Don Siegel)
“You don’t seem like yourself.” That’s an expression most of us have addressed a friend or family member with. Maybe they seem distracted, distant or moody. Most of the time, they eventually will be more like themselves again. But what if your spouse or sibling really wasn’t his or herself? What if some sort of entity had entered their physical beings while they were sleeping, transforming them into a cold, unfeeling sort of person–a person who almost wasn’t human anymore? That’s basically what transpires in this outstanding, classic bit of 50s celluloid paranoia. (Director Don Siegel insists he wasn’t doing a Commie/red scare parable, but judge for yourself). We’re in a middle-class, small community, not unlike those of 1950s TV shows like Father Knows Best, where the townsfolk are warm and friendly. But then the town’s doctor (Kevin McCarthy, perfectly cast) gradually realizes he can’t brush off complaints he’s getting about strange changes in temperaments. There’s something going on, and that something involves pods–squishy, gelatinous, creamy pods, growing in greenhouses, trucking around in trucks, waiting silently for the unsuspecting to nod off, peeling their outer layers and taking over people and their personalities, one at a time. Now, go ahead and enjoy your Cadbury’s Creme Egg bedtime snack. But don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
Good evening. Do you have treats ready and waiting for the little trick-or-treaters? How about a skeleton by your front steps? Oh, an artificial one will do. Although, if you have a real one hanging around, or intend to have one available in the next few days, that’s even better. Perhaps you’ll want to dress it up to resemble Norman’s mother in PSYCHO. Like Mrs. Bates’ corpse, the other objects found in Hitchcock’s films didn’t lead to treats very often, as you’ll see in this tricky quiz.
(*The quiz title was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest:“Something wrong with your eyes?” “Yes”, says the sunglass-clad Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant), “They’re sensitive to questions”. When Eve nabs from Vandamm an object containing valuable government secrets, Roger says, “I see you’ve got the pumpkin.”)
ON THIS DAY in 1881, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral took place in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. The event was dramatized in the 1957 John Sturges film, GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL, starring Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.
CHILDREN OF THE CORN(1984; with Linda Hamilton, Peter Horton; directed by Fritz Kiersch)
Billed as “an adult nightmare”, the stars of this scary and groundbreaking film are the kids. One fine day, the kids decide to put on a show. The show: extermination of the adult population of Gatlin, Nebraska. This event presents the leader of the massacre, Malachai, with the dilemma of “How you gonna keep ’em (visitors) down on the farm after they’ve seen… no adults there. The obvious solution: capture adult visitors as sacrifices. Problem solved. Or is it? A couple on a road trip (Hamilton and Horton) come across a little boy who’s fleeing the creepy cornfields of Gatlin. An entity called “He Who Walks Behind the Rows” is not pleased with the outside interventions and various bad things ensue: broken necks, poisoned minds, storms, fire and brimstone, and said sacrifices among them. Not to mention damage to the tourist trade. “And a child shall lead them…” is the tagline for this movie, which is based on a Stephen King story. Speaking for yours truly, a child can lead me to candy corn, but can’t make me eat it, even under threats from a demon. I’ll take popcorn, thanks very much.
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
Just in time for the holiday: Film School Rejects gives us this reimagining of THE EXORCIST as an 80s’ sitcom. A laugh a minute. Don’t watch if you haven’t seen The Exorcist….Spoilers ahead.
ON THIS DAY in 1983, the U.S. and its allies invaded the island of Grenada following a coup d’état there. In 1986, the Clint Eastwood film HEARTBREAK RIDGE depicted the invasion.
TRILOGY OF TERROR(1975; with Karen Black; directed by Dan Curtis)
The writings of famed, sci-fi wordsmith Richard Matheson serve as the basis for this made-for-TV movie. Karen Black plays four roles in three, short stories. In part one, Julie, she’s a college literature teacher who gets into a relationship with one of her students, who then, through malicious means, blackmails her. However, Julie, in a typically Mathesonian turn of events, gets the last laugh. In part two, Black portrays two women, the twins Millicent and Therese. This duo resolves their issues by delving into the dark and devilish world of witchcraft.
Then, at last, we come to Amelia, and it’s a doozy. Amelia is the long-suffering daughter of a nagging, possessive mother. She’s also the significant other of an absent anthropologist, for whom she buys a birthday gift. It’s an unusual present: a Zuni doll–a roughly 10-inch tall, primitive warrior with a horribly grotesque face and who, in its tiny hand, carries a very, very pointy spear. Amelia evidently does not read the accompanying instructions, and subsequently becomes unhappy with her purchase–as does the Zuni doll, who, in a series of scenes that will have you jumping out of your skin, makes a determined point of causing Amelia to feel buyer’s remorse. This feisty little fellow plays hard-to-get, and could easily have proven challenging for all three of the real Musketeers. –Julie, Millicent and Therese; –Amelia
Who wants to wait until the 31st to wallow in Halloween indulgences and scary movies?! Home Projectionist doesn’t! And so we’ll have pairings of 31 Frights and 31 Bites every one of October’s 31 nights: a scary, snack size movie “trick”, and a delicious “treat” to go along with it.
The THRILLER television series (1960 – 1962) is an under-appreciated treasure trove for your Halloween watch list. The expertly crafted episodes feature compelling tales with twists and turns and startling, dark images that can be much more disturbing than big blobs of blood, guts, and over-the-top gore.
Boris Karloff hosted this 67-episode tv series, featuring stories by some of the best writers of the thriller genre, including Robert Bloch of PSYCHO fame. Production quality is top notch from the spot-on, spine-tingling music to the lineup of directors, including Ida Lupino, actress and one of the first female film directors.
These stories scared me when I was young, and they still have staying power. A few of my favorite episodes are “The Grim Reaper,” starring William Shatner, who shows off his best Shanter-esque acting chops in the closing sequence. Invite your friends and ghouls over to hunker down for the “The Grim Reaper” episode, along with “A Wig for Miss Devore, “The Hungry Glass,” and “La Strega.”
They may want to leave the lights on when it’s time for bed.
Gloria Bowman is a writer, storyteller, blogger, movie lover, freelance editor,
and author of the novel, Human Slices.
Access her blog at www.gloriabowman.com; on Twitter @GloriaBow
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