Monday, October 28, 2019

CREEPY CINEMA



This is a haphazard continuation of my previous post, although this time the emphasis isn't exactly on horror films - but rather on some of my favorite old creepy, bizarre films.

When I think of creepy cinema, director Tod Browning (1880-1962) comes to mind. Born in Kentucky, he left his well-to-do family at age 16 to join a circus. He worked in carnivals and circuses for many years - including as a clown for Ringling Brothers. Later, he incorporated creepy carnival themes into numerous films.

Tod Browning is probably best remembered for directing the original 1931 Dracula film (starring Bela Lugosi), but he began directing around 1915 and some of his silent films are his best.

My ultra-favorite Browning silent film is a genuinely bizarre 1927 gem entitled The Unknown, featuring Lon Chaney and a young - almost unrecognizable - Joan Crawford.



Lon Chaney portrays a crook, who has a noticeable physical defect - two thumbs on his left hand. He hides his identity by joining a circus and pretending he's an armless freak. He falls in love with the circus-owner's daughter (Crawford) who ironically hates being pawed by men and has an aversion to their arms.

Sounds like a match made in heaven, huh? Unfortunately Chaney eventually murders Joan Crawford's father. Crawford witnessed the crime but didn't see the murderer's face. She only saw his hand with two thumbs.....

To maintain his criminal secret and desire to marry Crawford, Lon Chaney goes to a corrupt surgeon and has his arms removed!!

I won't reveal the unnerving ending, but it's not exactly a happy one.



Want something even more bizarre? Check out Tod Browning's 1928 film West of Zanzibar (starring Lon Chaney and Lionel Barrymore). A crippling accident, betrayal, revenge, deception - all in a horrifying South Seas setting.


Lon Chaney in West of Zanzibar (1928)

Freaks, anyone?
Tod Browning's 1932 movie Freaks could have been a potent horror classic, but it was mercilessly cut by the censors. All that remains of the 90 minute film is about 60 minutes. 
The most unnerving aspect of this film is that Browning used real circus freaks for the cast.

The shocking ending was also butchered by the censors, but it partially remains: in a torrential rainstorm the freaks pursue their two tormentors and horribly mutilate them. 
They castrate the circus strong man Hercules and drastically disfigure his wicked lover Cleopatra.

some of the cast members of Freaks (1932)

the wedding banquet scene from Freaks

This post is getting long and I haven't even scratched the surface.
I spent a lot of time on American director Tod Browning, but wanted to include some other creepy favorites of mine. Here are a few:

Two silent classics from Germany

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)
directed by Robert Weine
starring Werner Krauss and Conrad Veidt.
A chilling expressionistic tale of somnambulism, murder, and an insane asylum. The surrealistic sets are haunting.





Nosferatu (1922)
directed by F.W.Murnau
starring Max Schreck and Gustav von Wangenheim

Classic vampire tale based on Dracula - with creepy shadows and a genuinely ghastly vampire.




Max Schreck as the vampire



 Vampyr (1932)
directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer
starring Julian West (whose real name was Nicolas de Gunzburg) and Maurice Schutz.
This Danish film has sound but very little dialogue. The plot is profoundly confusing and almost non-existent - but the visuals are haunting. The entire film unfolds like a dream (or perhaps nightmare).






I couldn't end this post without mentioning the 1962 American low-budget cult classic

Carnival of Souls
directed by Herk Harvey
starring Candace Hilligoss 

Is it an exasperating dream or an after-death experience? Whatever you choose to believe, this film is ultra-haunting and deliciously unique - - with unforgettable creepy visuals.













All of these films are available for free on the Internet. Try YouTube or perhaps Daily Motion.

Happy Halloween! 

20 comments:

  1. I had to look up somnambulism. The dude on the right in that second photo of 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari reminds me of the weird German skits from SNL (Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey dancing). Definitely creepy.

    Can I be sad and scared at the same time by 'Freaks'?

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    1. The dude on the right in that second photo is Conrad Veidt, who portrayed Major Strasser in Casablanca. He is the somnambulist/murderer in Calagari.

      It is initially startling to see the freaks - and it's definitely sad. They really had no opportunities than to exhibit themselves in sleazy carnivals back then. They were really exploited.

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  2. I've been watching scary movies all month long so far. A channel called Comet tv plays alot of these old gems. Freaks is very creepy. I still remember the first time i saw it.

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    1. I've been watching lots of horror movies this month, too. I've never heard of Comet TV but fortunately I've found quite a few good things on YouTube.

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  3. You stinker! I spent last night watching the Spiral staircase, The Storm, and An Unlocked Window--LOL! I remember watching Thriller and Alfred Hitchcock Presents! I still have Night Must Fall to watch. Now I have some more to peek at. I say "peek at" with these because horror isn't my favorite kind so I don't know if I will make it all the way through them, but I do like the old black and whites better for this venue. I have never watched this much creepy movie and TV stuff for Halloween in my life--LOL! Been kind of a hoot! :)

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    1. Wow, Rita - you've really indulged in a Halloween festival! I'm glad that all the links worked. YouTube is notorious for removing videos for copyright violations. It's a great time of year to snuggle up and enjoy old black and white scary movies. "Night Must Fall" is rather slow but I think it's good - and there's no graphic violence.

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  4. And all that's missing is a soundtrack by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The last 7 images are deliciously disturbing, but I think I'll be skipping over these films. Some days my own life feels like a horror show.

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    1. Myra - I can definitely identify with your sentiments - - real life is often like a horror show. There's no need to supplement it with fictitious horror..

      Well, if you change your mind and feel like getting scared on Halloween, you can watch one of the old TV shows I listed on my previous post.

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  5. Jon, love your collection of creepy cinema; several of which I've seen. Isn't something how so many of the "older" creepy/scary movies are STILL creepy and scary? And back then they didn't have any of the computer special effects like today. They simply used lighting, shadows, and basic special effects. Also, I think the fact that they were shot using black and white film made them so much more dramatic.

    LOVE the pic with Joan Crawford! And of Nosferatu! What a classic. Even the pictures you shared gave me the creeps.

    Fun post! Oh, and btw...I watched the Alfred Hitchcock episode you suggested in your last post (An Unlocked Window) and LOVED it! The ending was faaaaaaaabulous. And totally unsuspecting.

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    1. Ron, I'm really amazed at how many creative and genuinely good effects were done in those old movies - including the silent ones. It's so much better than all the computerized crap they have today.

      And I agree that all these old photos are really creepy - - I love them and had a hard time choosing them (there were so many).

      I'm so glad you enjoyed An Unlocked Window, it's one of my all-time favorites. I didn't want to mention anything about the surprise ending.
      The devious nurse was played by an actor named T.C.Jones, who was a female impersonator. He was married in real life and died of cancer at age 50.

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  6. In the days of scary films (remember I was just the age to try and see them when they first came out!!!) I watched with trepidation, one hand covering my face with just enough space between fingers that I could sneak a look. I was never sure why the parents took me to see such films if I was forbidden to watch!!!

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    1. Valerie, I think it is best to watch these films with one hand covering your face - or perhaps even two hands.
      When I was a child, scary films always inspired me to check under my bed before going to sleep.

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  7. Jon, I'm loving all of these spooky posts! I actually own Carnival of Souls on VHS - paid a mere $2.99 for it back in the day. And I've seen Nosferatu at least half a dozen times. I did take a long peek at An Unlocked Window:

    However, I kind of ruined being scared to death by the ending because I read your comments before I searched for the Hitchcock classic - so I knew the nurse was the true killer. Still, I'm glad I got to watch it. Creepy indeed!

    By the way, have you ever taken a peek at The Honeymoon Killers? It's based on a true story (and the main character is a deranged nurse). It's more dark comedy than true horror, but it never fails to make me glad I stay away from both nurses and doctors as best I can :-)

    Thanks for all the awesome horror movie hints! And Happy Halloween!!

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    1. Hi, Dylan - I'm so glad that you're enjoying my Halloween posts. I thought of you when I mentioned Carnival of Souls because on your blog profile it's listed among your favorite films. I used to have a copy of it somewhere but can't find it. I'm sure it's available on YouTube.

      I'm sorry that I spoiled the ending of An Unlocked Window. The actor T.C.Jones did a great job of playing a woman.
      I never heard of the Honeymoon Killers but I'll check it out.

      It's hard to believe October is almost gone. Happy Halloween!

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  8. Ron, I have heard of several of the creepy films mentioned in this post, but have never seen any of them. Although, now they would probably seem more campy than horror when compared to the Halloween massacre style films. The use of circus freaks (not a pleasant term) reminded me of the "little people" used for the Wizard of Oz munchkins. I can recall watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents when it was on network TV years ago. There were some episodes of the Twilight Zone that seemed even scarier. My favorite horror actor is hands down Vincent Price. Happy 🎃

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    1. A lot of these old films do seem somewhat campy compared to the stuff they have today, but somehow they were more creative and original.
      The "little people" in the Wizard of Oz were pleasant to watch, but the cast of Freaks was unnerving and rather sad.
      You're right - the Twilight Zone had a lot of extremely creepy and memorable episodes.

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  9. Dear Jon, I remember being 5 years old and waking thirsty, walking out to the kitchen for some water and saw my parents watching something on our new Zenith TV. It was that 1931 Lugosi "Dracula". I quietly padded up behind the couch and watched Dracula descend upon Lucy Westernra. Then I promptly fainted, much to my parents' alarm. In later years, I enjoyed reading Bram Stoker's wonderful novel --also have never forgotten Dwight Fry's demented laugh. You know, when networks and parents installed "Not for children" warnings, they were generally right. I still like scary films, even "Dracula", except gory ones --done without atmosphere but with explosions and no dignity-- are not even my last choice. I sure appreciate this well-researched post, Jon, and the fond,frightening memories it evokes. Thanks!

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    1. Dwight Fry's demented laugh was the most memorable one in cinematic history. I never fainted when I saw the 1931 Dracula - - but, then, I was older than five. I read Stoker's novel and really enjoyed it.
      I think Bram Stoker's widow sued the German film company that made Nosferatu. It was because of her that they had to change all the film characters names...and couldn't call it Dracula.

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  10. I remember watching carnival of souls. The creepiest part was the ballroom dance scene. It gave me nightmares

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    1. There are a lot of creepy scenes in Carnival of Souls, but the ballroom scene is definitely the creepiest. It still gives me the chills. For a low-budget movie, it really has a lot of atmosphere.

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