Author Archives: chipkaufmann

When BRIGHT LEAF was made in 1950, Gary Cooper’s career was in a slump. Between the end of World War II and his iconic, Oscar winning performance in HIGH NOON (1952), he appeared in a string of movies that underperformed at the box office considering his status as one of Hollywood’s major stars. As inContinue reading “BRIGHT LEAF (1950): Soap & Tobacco Don’t Mix”

Back in October 2017 Warner Archive Collection released a series of Noir double features to cash in on the growing interest in Film Noir. These titles were taken from the RKO, MGM, United Artists and Warner Brothers back catalogues all of which WAC now controls. Most had originally appeared back in 2007. These re-issues, thoughContinue reading “WHERE DANGER LIVES & TENSION Make For A Great Noir Double Bill”

The parade of Eagle-Lion Film restorations contiues with the Film Detective Special Edition of 1948s THE AMAZING MR X. This remarkable little movie, originally called THE SPIRITUALIST (which is a more accurate title), is full of surprises to delight the eye and the mind. The eye part is due to the gorgeous cinematography by theContinue reading “THE AMAZING MR X (1948) Is Truly Amazing”

Since it first appeared in 1947, Robert Montgomery’s LADY IN THE LAKE has continued to fascinate and irritate movie fans. His use of first person camerawork, where everything is seen from his point of view, takes some getting used to. However it really doesn’t take that long and once you do then the film canContinue reading “LADY IN THE LAKE (1947): Sleuthing In The First Person”

When this set first appeared in 2009, it fulfilled a long standing need for a decent print of one of Boris Karloff’s best 1930s non-Universal horror films. That movie was THE WALKING DEAD made for Warner Brothers in 1936 by Michael Curtiz just before he hit the big time with THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD.Continue reading “KARLOFF & LUGOSI HORROR CLASSICS: Great For Fans Of The Horror Icons And A Chance To See Kay Kyser & His Band In Their Prime”

By 1958 the Golden Age of the American B movie, especially those in the horror and sci-fi genres, was all but over. At Universal-International, THE THING THAT COULDN’T DIE represented a last ditch effort. It was shot in less than two weeks on the back lot and was intended as a shorter companion piece toContinue reading “THE THING THAT COULDN’T DIE (1958): Too Little, Too Late”

Having completed the British TV series COLONEL MARCH (1952-1956), Boris Karloff was approached by writer Jan Read to do a screenplay he had written for the actor called STRANGLEHOLD. Karloff read the script and readily agreed as it gave him the opportunity to continue working in England. American producer Richard Gordon set up Amalgamated ProductionsContinue reading “THE HAUNTED STRANGLER: At Age 70, Boris Karloff Could Still Deliver The Goods”

THE WHISTLE AT EATON FILES (1951) is a real time capsule of turn of the 20th century America and that is its greatest asset. Shot almost entirely in the town of Portsmouth, NH and a couple of other New England locations, it gives us the look and feel of what is was like back then.Continue reading “WHISTLE AT EATON FALLS: Long Lost Labor Docu-Drama Makes A Triumphant Return”

It has been over 70 years since the last Eagle-Lion film was made and the company was quickly forgotten as almost all of their movies became public domain property. Thanks to the recent renewed interest in American Film Noir, the company has been resurrected and several of their best titles are now available in qualityContinue reading “REPEAT PERFORMANCE: In Praise Of Eagle-Lion Films”

Of the nine films featured in this collection, I had only seen two (TROLLENBERG TERROR, BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE) and read about two others (HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD, CURSE OF THE WRAYDONS). The remaining five movies I had never heard of which isn’t surprising as they weren’t shown on American TV until recently. There areContinue reading “RARITIES FROM RENOWN PICTURES”