Tag Archives: Scenes I Love

Horror Scenes That I Love: The Monster Lives in Frankenstein

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s horror scene that I love comes from the 1931 Universal classic, Frankenstein!

Though it’s been parodied to death and often used out of context (for example, a few years ago, it was used in a freaking car commercial), the “It’s Alive!” scene from Frankenstein is still a classic piece of horror history.  Colin Clive is often unfairly criticized for going overboard in this scene but let’s be honest here: if you ever reanimated a corpse, you’d probably get pretty damn excited about it.

(After watching the scene, be sure to check out my review of this classic film by clicking here!)

(And if you want to see an alternative take on the creation of Frankenstein’s Monster, check out the 1910 silent version by clicking here!)

Horror Scenes That I Love: Mary Philbin unmasks Lon Chaney in The Phantom of the Opera!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s horror scene that I love comes from the 1925 version of The Phantom of the Opera.

In this famous scene, which was directed by Rupert Julian, Mary Philbin unmasks the Phantom (played, of course, by Lon Chaney).  Both of their reactions are justifiably famous.

I have read that Philbin was apparently not told what Chaney would look like when she removed the mask, which contributed to her state of shock.  I don’t know if that’s true but I hope it is.  It’s certainly a good story.

Was this horror cinema’s first “jump scare?”

Horror Scenes That I Love: A Scene From Nosferatu

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s horror scene that I love comes from the absolutely terrifying 1922 silent film, Nosferatu.

Directed by F. W. Murnau and featuring Max Schreck as Count Orlock, Nosferatu is often cited as being the first vampire film.  That’s actually not true.  There were apparently film adaptations of Dracula that were produced years before Murnau gave the world his “unauthorized” adaptation.

However, I do think it can be argued that Nosferatu is the most influential vampire film ever made.  Every vampire movie released over the past 95 years has been a direct descendant of Nosferatu and it remains a truly nightmarish work of horror art.  One need only compare it to Universal’s first Dracula film to see how well Nosferatu has aged.

Enjoy this terrifying scene!

Horror Scenes That I Love: Thomas Edison’s Production of Frankenstein

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s horror scene that I love is, much like The Haunted Castle and The Monster, less a scene and more an entire movie.

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!

Horror Scenes That I Love: Georges Méliès’s The Monster

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Much like yesterday’s horror scene that I love, today’s scene is not so much a scene as it’s an entire movie!

The Monster is 2-minute silent film from 1903.  Directed by the pioneering French filmmaker, Georges Méliès, The Monster tells the story of an Egyptian prince who brings the dead body of his wife to a sorcerer who apparently likes to hang out in front of The Sphinx.  The sorcerer attempts to bring her back to life and, as so often happens in any film directed by Georges Méliès, things don’t quite go as planned.

In my opinion, this is one of the most charming of Georges Méliès’s surviving films.  From the simple but crudely effective camera trickery to the nicely surreal Sphinx in the background, The Monster is a chaotic delight.

Horror Scenes That I Love: Georges Méliès’s The Haunted Castle

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Technically, today’s scene that I love isn’t so much a scene as it’s an entire movie!

Below, you’ll find The Haunted Castle, a 3-minute silent from the great French director, Georges Méliès.  This film was made in 1896 and is considered, along with The Execution of Mary Stuart, to be one of the very first horror films!

Needless to say, The Haunted Castle is going to look primitive to modern eyes but so what?  There’s a lot of charm to be found in these three minutes.  Imagine seeing this in 1896, at a time before everyone was knowledgeable (and a bit cynical) about special effects and film trickery.

After you watch this piece of film history, please be sure to watch Martin Scorsese’s Hugo.  Just be prepared to cry.

Enjoy!

Scenes That I Love: The A-bomb Test From Twin Peaks: The Return Part 8

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Directed by David Lynch.

Got a light?

The show may end tonight but the conversation will continue forever.

(Starting Monday, I’ll be reviewing the films of David Lynch, from Eraserhead to Inland Empire.)

This is the water and this is the well. Drink full and descend. The horse is the white of the eyes, dark within.

Scene That I Love: The End of the World from Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Over the past few years, there’s been many movies about the end of the world.

A lot of them have been pretty bad.  I never did find the high heel that I threw at the screen while watching Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World.

And some of them have been pretty good.  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and its sequels come to mind.

And then there’s Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia.  Von Trier is always going to be controversial filmmaker but no one has ever matched his brilliance when it came to capturing the end of existence.  In Melancholia, a depressed woman (played in a revelatory performance by Kristen Dunst) finds unexpected strength in the end of the world.  As can be seen in the scene below, it’s a beautifully sad film, one that ends on a note of triumphant apocalypse:

Dance Scenes That I Love: The Locomotion from Inland Empire

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Hello and welcome to martes trece!  

Now, I know that a lot of people will tell you that Friday the 13th is the most unlucky day of the year but actually, in Spain, it is well know that Tuesday the 13th is the day that you have to watch out for.  My grandmother would literally not leave the house on Tuesday the 13th.  Myself, I may leave the house today but I’ll drive very slowly and I’ll watch my step.

Now, personally, I think the best way to deal with an unlucky day is through dance!  So, allow me to bless you with a dance scene that I love.

This is from David Lynch’s 2006 film, Inland Empire.  Inland Empire, which clocks in at 3 hours, is perhaps Lynch’s most unsettling film.  However, it does feature a little dancing, as seen below:

Good luck!