Seeking shelter from a pounding rainstorm in a remote region of wales, several travelers are admitted to a gloomy, foreboding mansion belonging to the extremely strange femm family. Both movies are based on an old novel, benighted, by j. The old dark house mystery was a pet subject of theatrical productions in new. Oct 04, 2017 even if it hadnt been essentially lost, james whales the old dark house 1932 wouldnt ever have fit, exactly, on the mount rushmore of universals horror greats.
Oct 05, 2017 the old dark house, beginning a weeklong run friday at the quad cinema in an excellent 4k digital restoration, opens on a dark and stormy night with a bickering young couple, margaret. Mervyn douglas gloria stuart ernest thesiger eva moore charles laughton raymond massey lillian bond boris karloff elspeth dudgeon brember wills based on the story benighted by j. Directed by james whale, fresh off the success of the previous years frankenstein, the old dark house features the star of whales previous film, boris karloff, alongside gloria stuart, charles laughton, and raymond massey, among others. For years, horace had been locked up with little more than the superego and id to keep him company, and by the looks of things, those years were gloomy at best. Whale has absurd fun with every aspect of the spooky house genre, even as he refuses to fall into the usual dinnertheater traps. List of old dark house movies, a list of films by rugby. The old dark house 1932 is a terrific film, set in the ever popular haunted house on a dark, spooky rainy night. I have no clue about rights to the film in any territory or format. James whales 1932 drama the old dark house a film that was part of universal studios deliriously successful run. The old dark house is a 1932 film about five travelers seeking shelter from a storm who are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the femm family estate directed by james whale. Old dark house, the 1932 movie clip hes only stunned.
Boris karloff and gloria stewart in the old dark house bloodcurdling high jinks abound. Horace and rebecca femm, brother and sister, are the owners of a drab mansion. An odd assortment of travellers find themselves forced to seek shelter with an even odder family of eccentrics in a remote welsh manor on the proverbial dark and stormy night. The old dark house was directed by james whale in between the original universal classic frankenstein and its acclaimed sequel bride of frankenstein. Seeking shelter from a storm, five travelers are in for a bizarre and terrifying night when they stumble upon the femm family estate. Things like seldomvisited rooms, locked closets, and atodds inhabitants provide rich ground for such use.
Great nephew of anna leonowens, the reallife historical figure upon whom the musical the king and i is based. A quintessential dark and stormy night brings a group of travelers to a forbidding mansion in the welsh countryside, where they find themselves at the mercy of the. The least successful of this quartet of fright classics, the old dark house came to be. The old dark house 1932 first, a little history for many horror fans, when they think of iconic characters such as dracula or frankensteins monster whether they realize it or not the pictures in their mind originate from the classic films of universal studios.
The old dark house 1963 film, a comedymystery film. The old dark house appears in an aspect ratio of 1. Seeking shelter from a pounding rainstorm in a remote region of wales, several travellers are admitted to a gloomy, foreboding mansion belonging to the extremely strange femm family. The old dark house arrives on blu ray from cohen media with an exemplary transfer taken from a brand new 4k restoration. The old dark house critics consensus a deft blend of wellchosen ingredients, the old dark house is a delightfully scary horror comedy that benefits from james whales suspenseful direction.
Our travelers find themselves stuck in an abode more akin to a. The old dark house the old dark house 1932 comedy, horror, thriller. Trying to make the best of it, the guests must deal with their sepulchral host, horace femm and his obsessive, malevolent. From frankenstein director james whale, 1932s the old dark house introduces us to a mix of travelers who get stuck due to a landslide while they traverse a remote area in wales desperate for shelter, they come to a mansion maintained by the femm family. Even for a 85year old movie, this was a disappointing presentation. Philip waverton raymond massey, his wife margaret gloria stuart, and their friend roger penderel melvyn douglas are lost while driving at night in a heavy storm. Im a huge fan of both of these films and whale again doesnt disappoint in this one. The movie the old dark house 1932 as well as the 1963 remake is the trope namer. The old dark house is a 1932 american precode horror comedy film directed by james whale and starring boris karloff. Margaret gloria stuart in her evening gown is pursued by drunken houseman morgan boris karloff then rescued by husband philip raymond massey in james whales the old dark house, 1932 view the tcmdb entry for the old dark house 1932. Mar 09, 2016 i have no clue about rights to the film in any territory or format. Approved, 1 h 12 min boris karloff, melvyn douglas, charles laughton, lilian bond director. In the horror genre, when a house stands out as a primary component, it is often going to be haunted. Sep 01, 2016 the old dark house is a 1932 american precode horror comedy film directed by james whale and starring boris karloff.
From frankenstein director james whale comes this atmospheric horrorcomedy starring charles laughton and featuring the first starring horror role for boris karloff. I did get a reply from jim carl who has been doing an excellent job for years with great projection of 35mm, dcp, and bluray when no better option at the carolina theater in durham nc, and he said that the old dark house would be screened from a bluray provided from kino. Due to those dimensions, the image has not been enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Made a year after whale and star boris karloff were launched into popular consciousness with frankenstein, this plays like old home week for those who have watched horror films, especially james whale ones. The old dark house 1932 film, an american precode horror film. Although little seen since its original release, the old dark house 1932 had by the 1960s attained a graillike status among fans of director james whale, whose beloved universal horror films included frankenstein 1931, the invisible man 1933, and the bride of frankenstein 1935. Its a road map for hundreds of films which would follow. Down a particularly twisted road, over an old bridge and up, up on the very top of a hill where no one goes stands a forgotten manse. Directed by james whale way back when in 1932 for universal, the old dark house is not be as wellknown as some of the other classic universal horror pictures of the time. Itll always live in the shadow of whales more famous karloff collaborations, those obviously being frankenstein made a year prior and bride of frankenstein made in 1935. A group of strangers having to spend the night in a house, mansion or castle.
In the old dark house, however, director james whale uses a house in a different, more rewarding way. Even if it hadnt been essentially lost, james whales the old dark house 1932 wouldnt ever have fit, exactly, on the mount rushmore of universals horror greats. Margaret gloria stuart in her evening gown is pursued by drunken houseman morgan boris karloff then rescued by husband philip raymond massey in james whales the old dark house, 1932. Cast from the mold of edgar allan poes the fall of the house of usher and the many gothic tales in its wake, j. The old dark house mystery was a pet subject of theatrical productions in new york and abroad during the 1920s. Oct 12, 2017 the old dark house is a fascinating film and this bluray high definition presentation will make a great many people happy to be able to revisit this timeless classicor enjoy this masterpiece for the first time. Curtis harrington saves the old dark house featurette 7.
We return back to the era of the old dark house story. In the former, group of characters get stuck on a stormy night in a house with dark history. Priestley estate he wrote the original novel and thats probably why its now in limbo. I had never expected to see a bluray release of this movie and i am extremely grateful for cohen to add this film to their cohen. In the old dark house, motivation and happiness are dependent upon more than the innerworkings of the psyche. The old dark house critics consensus a deft blend of wellchosen ingredients, the old dark house is a delightfully scary horror comedy that benefits. Discover what genre the old dark house, 1932, directed by james whale, with boris karloff, melvyn douglas, charles laughton, belongs at turner classic movies. The old dark house is a fascinating film and this bluray high definition presentation will make a great many people happy to be able to revisit this timeless classicor enjoy this masterpiece for the first time.
James whales 1932 comedyhorror classic is wonderfully subversive combines some genuinely grisly elements with scenes that could have slipped out of a pg wodehouse comedy. If an internal link incorrectly led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. The old dark house, beginning a weeklong run friday at the quad cinema in an excellent 4k digital restoration, opens on a dark and stormy night. Boris karloff, charles laughton, melvyn douglas, gloria stuart. Beware the night seeking shelter from a pounding rainstorm in a remote region of wales, several travellers are admitted to a gloomy, foreboding mansion belonging to the extremely strange femm family. Oct 25, 2015 we return back to the era of the old dark house story. First released in 1932, this boris karloff picture was thought lost for years.
Wonderfully weird and atmospheric, flavoured with james whales trademark dark humour, and featuring an outstanding cast including boris karloff, raymond massey, gloria stuart, melvyn douglas, ernest thesiger, and. A subgenre that leans toward comedy, farce, and whodunit mysteries. Trying to make the best of it, the guests must deal with their sepulchral host, horace femm and his obsessive, malevolent sister rebecca. Long lost horror film the old dark house stands as one. Wonderfully weird and atmospheric, flavoured with james whales trademark dark. The cohen groups bluray of the old dark house is quite a revelation, like finally seeing a fine painting when before only sour photocopies were available. Got the part of frankenstein, for which he is most famous, after bela lugosi karloffs main professional rival turned it down. Presented with an avc mpeg 4 1080p encode and framed at the correct aspect ratio of 1. The new york times praised the film, stating, there is a wealth of talent in. The bona fides of the 1932 film the old dark house should be enough to recommend it. The film is based on the novel benighted 1927 by j. Prior to the release of the old dark house 1932, a secondfiddle chiller that reunited director james whale and stars boris karloff after the overnight success of frankenstein, motion pictures of similar persuasions were confined to the realm of silence. I think theres been a conflict as to whether the rights to old dark house had been controlled by rohauer, universal or the j. James whales 1932 drama the old dark house a film that was part of universal studios deliriously successful run of horror films in the pre.
However, they definitely do not play the good natured hosts when stranded travellers are forced to stay there because of the terrible storm. Priestleys 1927 novel benighted was one of the most popular among the dozens of stories of the late 1920s and early 1930s for the page, stage, and screen about stranded travelers wandering through gloomy, secluded mansions at night. Atmosphere, intrigue and genuine comedy peppered throughout. In the old dark house, whale puts a surprising spin on horror film conventions even as he is creating them, adding black humor and sexual perversity that was eyeopening in 1932. Apr 27, 2018 t he great scarymovie ancestor is rereleased. With boris karloff, melvyn douglas, charles laughton, gloria stuart. One of the first in this genre and inspiring decades of similar films the old dark house is an interesting and suspenseful look at early horror comedies. Things get worse as the brutish manservant morgan gets. Mar 09, 2016 these were part of the rohauer collection which was purchased by cohen media not only for disc release but also theatrical release. Priestleys novel benighted into a nervejangling tale originally released in 1932 that became the template for all spooky house chillers to come. May 20, 2014 an odd assortment of travellers find themselves forced to seek shelter with an even odder family of eccentrics in a remote welsh manor on the proverbial dark and stormy night. Not to be confused with haunted house movies, which tend to involve ghosts or some other supernatural entity in a horror setting.
Gausman editor clarence kolster producer carl laemmle. The old dark house is eccentric and weird in a way that surely inspired the cartoonist charles addams karloffs morgan is undoubtedly an influence on addams goonish butler, lurch. Download the old dark house 1932 torrent otorrents. The latter is a comedy murder mystery concerning a family fortune. Even for a 85yearold movie, this was a disappointing presentation.
Featuring charles laughtons hollywood debut and created by the classic pairing of james whale and carl laemmle, jr. Not to be confused with haunted house movies, which tend to involve ghosts or some other supernatural entity in a horror setting some common old dark house tropes include. These were part of the rohauer collection which was purchased by cohen media not only for disc release but also theatrical release. Long lost horror film the old dark house stands as one of.
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