Some of the most beloved horror films came from a time before gory special effects, prosthetic limbs and reliance on cheap shocks (and sudden loud noises) dominated the genre. Whether the products of German Expressionism or early Hollywood creature features, these films continue to intrigue and influence film makers and audiences, and many horror movies from that more innocent era have deservedly attained cult status.
Don’t miss this week’s movies:
The Bride of Frankenstein
Dr. Frankenstein must create a companion for his monster when his fiancé is kidnapped. (USA, 1935, B&W, 75 mins, dir. James Whale, with Boris Karloff, Colin CLive and Valerie Hobson).
Vampyr
Young traveler David Gray arrives in a remote castle and starts seeing weird, inexplicable sights (a man whose shadow has a life of its own, a mysterious scythe-bearing figure tolling a bell, a terrifying dream of his own burial). (France/Germany, 1932, B&W, 73 min, dir. Carl-Theodor Dreyer, with Julian West & Sybille Schmitz, French & German with English subtitles)
The Phantom of the Opera
Based on Gaston Leroux’s novel, a disfigured phantom terrorizes a Paris Opera house in order to get his beloved singer Christine. (USA, 1925, 80 mins, dir. Rupert Julian, with Lon Chaney Jr. & Mary Philbin, Silent)
Nosferatu
This classic follows the familiar story of Count Orloc moving from his ruined castle to the city of Wisborg, after the visit of one Jonathan Harker. Once there he becomes involved with Jonathan’s fiancee Nina, who alone holds the power to destroy him. (Germany, 1922, B&W, 81 mins, dir. F.W. Murnau, with Max Schreck & Alexander Granach, Silent)
Person Unknown
In Mexico, an escaped convict hides out in a monastery. Unfortunately, it is on the night when the ghost of an Aztec warrior is said to roam the halls. When a murder is discovered later that night, he must prove that he not only didn’t commit the murder, but that it was in fact committed by the ghostly warrior. (One Step Beyond, 1959-1961 television series about the supernatural.)
Watch all of these movies this Saturday on UCSD-TV. Find out where to watch UCSD-TV in your neighborhood.
Visit World Cinema Saturdays on UCSD-TV to see what’s playing in the weeks ahead.