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…and one of my favorite silent films period. It’s not D. W.’s best, that distinction belongs to ISN’T LIFE WONDERFUL. I much prefer BROKEN BLOSSOMS to Griffith’s mammoth spectacles (which are important historically but are overrated when compared to his Biograph shorts and smaller scale films like this one). What I value most about thisContinue reading “BROKEN BLOSSOMS: My Favorite D.W. Griffith Film…”

Someone once asked a friend of mine that if it were possible to time travel, where would he like to travel to? My friend replied “right here and now.” “Why?” she queried. He responded with a one word answer,”dentistry”. Good point. One might add health care to that as well although the way things areContinue reading “INTOLERANCE: An Epic Restoration For An Epic Motion Picture”

THE BIRTH OF A NATION was controversial when it was first released and is still controversial over 100 years later, now more than ever. No film in the history of cinema can make that claim although plenty would like to. It’s hard today for people to get past the film’s politics but the passions itContinue reading “BIRTH OF A NATION (1915): The Definitive Version In A Limited Edition”

Actually I can. After finally catching up with this opus all I can say is “move over Ed Wood, Al Adamson, and even William Beaudine for you’ve got company”. This is the only movie by David L. Hewitt that I have ever seen but judging by the reviews of some of his other films (JOURNEYContinue reading “GALLERY OF HORRORS: I Can’t Believe I Watched The Whole Thing”

Schlockmeister William Castle (1914-1977) has been gone for over a generation now and his name is not well known to many younger horror fans although they are familiar with the recent remakes of HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL and 13 GHOSTS which are modern day gorefests that totally miss the spirit of the originals. Often describedContinue reading “MR SARDONICUS Is An Atypical William Castle Vehicle”

Noel Coward’s CAVALCADE was a huge success in its day and is now a time capsule of British attitudes after the First World War and the Roaring 20s that followed. It can easily be seen as the precursor of several period BBC dramas which came much later including the iconic UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS and now DOWNTONContinue reading “CAVALCADE (1933): A Precursor To UPSTAIRS / DOWNSTAIRS & DOWNTON ABBEY”

Having marveled at the new Blu-Ray release of MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933), I decided to watch its immediate predecessor DOCTOR X (1932) which I have as part of the 2006 HOLLYWOOD’S LEGEND OF HORROR DVD set. This film also used the same two color Technicolor process and even featured the same performers, LionelContinue reading “DOCTOR X: Makes A Perfect Double Bill With MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM”

The history of MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM is a fascinating one. A huge success on its initial release in 1933, the film was forgotten after the Production Code came in a year later. Warner Brothers had little interest in horror films and never bothered to re-issue it. By 1953 when they remade it asContinue reading “MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM: The Original Classic In Properly Restored Early Technicolor”

BIRD OF PARADISE is one of those films that remained unseen for years thanks to its pre-code nudity and the fact that a lame 1951 remake made sure that it sat on the shelf. A few years ago VCI Home Entertainment in conjunction with the Roan Group issued a restored version on VHS. This isContinue reading “BIRD OF PARADISE (1932): Exotic and Erotic”

Mention the name Republic Pictures to any movie buff and Westerns immediately come to mind. Gene Autrey, Roy Rogers, and even John Wayne had some of their earliest roles there. After WW II they sprang for bigger budgets and non-Westerns like THE QUIET MAN (w/John Wayne) and even Orson Welles’ 1948 version of MACBETH. TheyContinue reading “THE UNEARTHLY (1957): A Pleasant Low Budget Surprise From Republic Pictures”