Tag Archives: A Blast From The Past

A Blast From The Past: The Man With Wax Faces (dir by Maurice Tourneur)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

For today’s horrific blast from the past, we have a French horror film called The Man With Wax Faces.  Filmed in 1914 by Maurice Tourneur, this 11-minute film was the first horror movie to be set in a wax museum.  Based on a play that had earlier been performed at the infamous Grand Guignol,  The Man With Wax Faces was technically very advanced for 1914.  This film is not just a horror story.  It was also a chance for Tourneur to experiment with and explore what could be done on film.

The story is a simple one and one that viewers should be able to follow, even if they can’t read the French title cards.  An arrogant man who claims that nothing has ever frightened him accepts a bet to spend the night in a wax museum.  Secretly, his friend also stays in the museum to make sure that all of the conditions of the bet are honored.  Madness and tragedy follow.

Director Maurice Tourneur also made some films in Hollywood during the silent era, before eventually returning to France.  His son, Jacques Tourneur, follows in his footsteps and directed several memorable horror films, including Cat People, I Walked With A Zombie. and Night of the Demon.

A Horror Blast From The Past: Suspense (dir by Lois Weber and Phillips Smalley)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Suspense is a ten-minute blast from the past that comes to us all the way from 1913.

In this film, the Woman (played by Lois Weber) and her baby are menaced by the Tramp (Sam Kaufman), a sinister figure who cuts her phone lines and breaks into her home.  While the Woman tries to protect herself, the Husband (Val Paul) rushes home to save his wife.

Suspense was one of the first thrillers and it introduced many elements that are still used to today, including the cut phone lines and the isolated location.  This was also one of the first films to use the split screen as a narrative technique.  There are many modern horror films that owe a debt to Suspense, whether the filmmakers realize it or not.

Suspense was written and directed by Lois Weber, who is widely acknowledged as being America’s first female filmmaker.

A Blast From The Past: Frankenstein (dir by J. Searle Dawley)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

In 1910, Thomas Edison produced what is thought to be the first ever film version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein!  Clocking in at 12 minutes and 41 seconds, this film was directed by J. Searle Dawley and stars Charles Ogle as the monster.

Admittedly, the surviving prints of this 107 year-old movie are not in the greatest condition.  But I still think it’s effectively surreal and, in its way, quite creepy.  While it always takes a while for modern audiences to get used to the more theatrical acting styles of the silent films, Charles Ogle still makes for a very memorable monster.  I especially enjoy the tinted scenes where the monster comes to life.  In the video below, it start around the 2:18 mark and it’s truly a scene that I love!

Enjoy this piece of film history!

A Blast From The Past: The Fake Blood Simple Trailer Starring Bruce Campbell

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Way back in 1984, the Coen Brothers were trying to raise the $75,000 that they would need to produce and direct their first film, Blood Simple.  Sam Raimi, with whom the Coen Brothers had worked on Evil Dead, suggested that they put together a fake trailer to draw the interest of investors.

The Coens and their cinematographer, Barry Sonnenfeld (who would later go on to have his own directorial career), took Raimi’s advice and put together a trailer that, to be honest, has more in common with Evil Dead than with Blood Simple.  Then again, that was a smart move on their part.  Evil Dead made a lot of money.

Bruce Campbell appears in the trailer, playing the role that was later played by Dan Hedaya in the actual film.  (It’s hard to imagine Campbell playing that role, just because Hedaya gave such a perfect performance as Julian Marty.  That said, I could very well see Campbell in the role played by John Getz.)

Here is the fake Blood Simple Trailer, featuring Bruce Campbell!  (Admittedly, because of the way the trailer is shot, you don’t actually see Bruce’s face.  But you’ll recognize the hair immediately.)

And, for the sake of comparison, here’s the trailer for the actual film:

A Blast From The Past: Outer and Inner Space (dir by Andy Warhol)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s blast from the past comes from 1966.

In this 33-minute short film, we watch as Edie Sedgwick appears to have a conversation with herself.  She’s not, of course.  Instead, she’s sitting next to a television monitor that is showing a video of Edie having a conversation with an off-screen someone who was to the right of her.  Meanwhile, the “live” Edie is having a conversation with an unseen person who is sitting to the left of her.  This creates the illusion of the two Edies having a disjointed conversation with each other whereas, in reality, we’re really not sure who either Edie is talking to or what they’re even talking about.  As was typical with Andy Warhol’s Factory films, the soundtrack is notably muddy.  As well, the video below is actually a film of the film, which I think Warhol perhaps would have appreciated as long as he got paid.

Okay, it’s not for everyone.  Obviously, if you’re not a fan of Warhol’s films, this experimental piece is not going to change your mind.  In fact, it’ll probably make you a little bit angry.  But, for me, it’s a fascinating time capsule, a true product of the era from which it came.  Warhol’s experiments might not seem spectacular today but that’s because we’ve grown use to experimentation.  Experimentation has become a mainstream concept.  Warhol, on the other hand, was making his underground films at a time when the term “underground” actually meant something.

As well, this film features Edie at the height of her fame.  It’s a bit sad to watch now, knowing how fleeting her obvious happiness would be.  Warhol’s films always framed Edie as being just slightly out of reach, from both the viewers and the filmmaker.  With the muddy soundtrack, one watches the multiple Edies in this film and wonders what is going through their mind,  This is a film that embraces the enigma of existence and image.

 

A Blast From The Past: A Force In Readiness (dir by Col. William L. Hendricks)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

105 years ago today, Jack Webb was born.

Webb appeared in a handful of films but he’s probably best remembered for developing, directing, and starring in America’s first cop show, Dragnet.  As Sgt. Joe Friday, Webb dealt with crimes both big and small.  In the late 60s, he dealt with hippies and other anti-American forces.  A few years ago, I binged the 60s version of Dragnet and I have to admit I got totally addicted to it.  It was somehow both effective and totally camp at the same time.  That takes skill!

Webb is the narrator of today’s Blast From The Past.  1961’s A Force In Readiness is a 30-minute short film about the Marines.  Seen today, it seems like a lengthy commercial but, when it was first released, the director was awarded a special Oscar “for his outstanding patriotic service in the conception, writing and production of the Marine Corps film, A Force in Readiness, which has brought honor to the Academy and the motion picture industry.”

Webb provides the narration in his trademark style.  If the Greatest Generation could all speak in one voice, that voice would probably sound a lot like Jack Webb’s.

A Blast From The Past: Testing Dirty (dir by Lynn Hamrick)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Our regularly scheduled review of Degrassi High will not be posted tonight so that we can bring you this special presentation.

My Retro Television Reviews will return on Monday but for now, check out this 1990 program called Testing Dirty!  In this short film, Christopher Daniel Barnes (best known for playing Greg Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie) is a high school athlete who tests positive for drugs despite not using them.  As he tries to clear his name, the adults in his community debate whether or not random drug tests are actually fighting or helping the problem.  That’s an important topic but, for the most part, this film is best-known for a cameo appearance by Adam Sandler as a drug dealer.

And now, without further ado …. it’s time for Testing Dirty!

A Blast From The Past: The Human Voice (dir by Ted Kotcheff)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Our regular review of Homicide will not be posted today so that we may bring you this special presentation….

My retro television review will return tomorrow.  For now, check out 1966’s The Human Voice.  In this 55-minute stage adaptation, Ingrid Bergman plays a woman having a phone conversation with her lover of five years on the night before he’s meant to marry another.  Written by Jean Cocteau, this monologue was also filmed by Pedro Almodovar in 2020, with Tilda Swinton giving a performance that cannot hope to compare to Bergman’s.

And now, without further ado, here is The Human Voice!

 

A Blast From The Past: The Gymnast (dir by Larry Elikann)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Our regular review of Check It Out! will not be posted tonight so that we might bring you this special program….

My retro television reviews will return next week.  For now, we present you with The Gymnast, a short film from 1980 about a teenage girl named Jenny who wants to be the best gymnast in the world but who is going to have to learn some important lessons about hard work and humility beforehand.  I could relate to this film because I was the same way about dancing when I was a teen.  Of course, I never learned any lessons about hard work or humility and I’m all the better for it.

That said, this isn’t a bad little film.  Zina Bethune gives a good performance as the hard-pushing coach and there’s plenty of gymnastic action as well.  I’m going to guess this was probably made to appeal to teens who would presumably have found a bunch of new heroes watching the 1980 Summer Olympics.  Jimmy Carter, however, had other plans.

Now, without any further ado, here is …. The Gymnast!

A Blast From The Past: Barefoot In The Park (dir by Harvey Medelinsky)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Our regularly scheduled review of Welcome Back Kotter will not be posted this week so that we may bring you this special presentation….

From 1982 and filmed for HBO, it’s a stage production of Barefoot In The Park!  I’ve always loved the Robert Redford/Jane Fonda film version but I also enjoy this recording of one of the play’s periodic Broadway revivals.  Richard Thomas and Bess Armstrong play the newlyweds and they really bring Neil Simon’s dialogue to life.

Without further ado, here is Barefoot In The Park!