my thoughts on.... 'Frankenstein' (1931)

sometimes as a horror movie fanatic, you have to go back to re-visit your roots and remind yourself where it all began.... granted, i've seen most of these classic films before but that doesn't make them still as fresh as they were when they came out.... and if you're going to go back in time, you must start with the Universal Studios classic monster films.... (ie: Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Phantom of the Opera, The Wolfman, etc....).... i figured i'd start with Frankenstein, the largest of the monsters, literally.... or at least larger than life.... this is a film that is revered by horror directors everywhere and was a spark of life to their imaginations.... Frankenstein is an iconic creation brought to life by Boris Karloff and brought to the screen by director James Whale.... it's not the last horror film Boris Karloff made.... the man is a legend in his own right.... a name that is synonymous with horror.... but in this film he is merely credited as '?', i suppose it was a way to increase the terror.... not knowing who was behind the make-up.... as far as the story goes, i've never read the original book so i don't know how close to the source material this is.... but it's a fairly simple story that James Whale brought to the screen.... one that can be seen by just about anyone and easily understood....

Dr. Frankenstein is determined to create life out of nothing.... everyone doubts him and he's a bit mad, but he follows his passion regardless.... he patchworks a man out of spare parts and an abnormal brain.... he then proceeds to bring the creature to life and the creature soon wreaks havoc on the town.... and ultimately is chased by an angry mob with torches.... where he faces them in a final showdown....
this film set the standard for many films to follow.... it's use of German expressionist background sets.... the state of the art make-up effects.... the great backdrops that create the feeling of something larger than just a soundstage.... the over the top dramatic acting.... and of course, the monster.... what's not to like about this film....? it is a bit dated and some of the effects are laughable by todays standards, but when i think of some of the horrific CGI i see in movies today i would prefer what they made work back in the 30's.... this film is expertly shot.... almost every frame of the film looks like a photograph that you could hang on the wall.... the story is universal.... and you can't help but feel a bit sad for the monster.... he's just a mere victim of circumstance.... he was given when life should not have been given.... and he is merely acting on his most animal instincts.... he doesn't seem to know any other way to act then by doing what a trapped animal would do.... i should also point out the scene with the little girl by the lake.... it is frightening still today.... what starts out as a harmless back and forth between the monster and the little girl, soon goes horribly wrong and results in tragedy.... once again proving that the monster is merely acting on instinct or rather re-acting....

regardless of all of the praise this film has acheieved, i still couldn't see to give it more than 3 out of 5 stars.... not that it is a bad film, on the contrary, this film is a piece of history.... and i am glad that it's stood the test of time and can live on as a reminder of where we came from.... what brought us to where we are today.... it also proves that sometimes simple is still better.... it should be noted that this film was followed by the 'Bride of Frankenstein', which has been called a better film than the original.... i have it in my queue as well and look forward to comparing the two.... it also spawned multiple sequels and re-makes.... some better than others, but all a part of the Frankenstein legacy.... one that spans decades and genres.... sitcoms and cartoons.... TV shows and plays.... it should also be known that in the birth of cinema, 'Frankenstein' was one of the first monsters portrayed on the big screen.... in 1910, J. Searle Dawley made a film just shy of 15 minutes that scared the hell out of audiences back in the day.... once again proving the lasting power of monsters and the cinema of horror....

to watch the 1910 version: http://www.archive.org/details/Frankenstein_628

if you would like to watch some other horror classics, watch: 'Dracula' (1931), 'The Wolf Man' (1941), and 'The Mummy' (1932)

my brief thoughts on.... 'The Toolbox Murders' (1978)

i'm not sure if you saw the remake of this movie by Tobe Hooper.... but this movie and that one have no real connection other than the fact that they both involve tools.... that's where the similarities end.... one of the big differences is that this movie is one of those, "Based on an actual events" movies.... whether or not that's true, i didn't research.... but that's what they say.... now if you're coming into this movie expecting murders by someone with a toolbox.... well, you're half right.... for the first 20 -30 mins or so, that's what happens.... but for the remaining hour.... there is no such occurance.... it's all creepy monologues and some twists and turns.... really slow twists and turns.... this is by no means an exciting movie.... it has very little redeeming qualities and is not something i would readily recommend to anyone else.... not that the Tobe Hooper version was any better.... but at least it had Sheri Moon Zombie in it for the opening scene....

as the story goes.... someone is killing the residents of an apartment complex with a toolbox full of tools.... he's killing those who are impure.... women only.... after killing 4 women, the police have no leads and no clues.... all they have is 4 dead women and a 5th that seems to have been kidnapped.... the brother of the girl begins his own search for her as the police aren't being very helpful.... they soon reveal who the killer is and add a twist.... it kind of brings the story to a screeching halt and it sputters to an end with a whimper, not a bang.
i honestly had hoped for something more.... as this is brought up a lot in slasher movie circles.... but sadly, i was let down.... 1 out of 5 stars is all i could muster for it.... this movie just suffers from all of the bad cliche's of the 70's cinema.... and it hasn't aged well at all.... the killer is lame.... the story is confusing and dull.... the fact that it's based on actual events doesn't seem to help either.... it seems like an attempt to be like 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' or something.... uninspired, boring and not worth the hour and a half it takes to watch it.... find something more constructive to do with your time.

if you watch this, go watch something better: 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (1974), 'The Burning' or a Lifetime original movie

my brief thoughts on.... 'The Prowler'

this is a movie i've been hearing about for a long time.... Joesph Zito directed and Tom Savini did the special effects.... it's considered to be some of the best work Savini has ever done.... and it is pretty impressive.... especially based on when thi was released.... this movie, in some circles, it's considered a classic of the slasher genre.... not too mention it was released in 1980, the beginning of the golden era of the genre.... it was right when they came up with the formula.... you take a person who's wronged in some way.... they have a screw loose.... they find some kind of costume, mask or outfit and they go on a killing spree.... perhaps starting with the trigger of their rage, but then going off the deep end and they continue to kill....

in this movie, the story begins in 1945 with a woman breaking up with a G.I. via a hand written letter.... her name was Rosemary.... on the night of the Graduation Dance, Rosemary and her boyfriend go out to a secluded area where they are promptly killed by a man in an army uniform.... presumebly the ex of Rosemary.... fast forward to 1980.... the first Graduation Dance is being held since that night.... some people are wary of holding it due to what happened the last time.... but it goes forward.... meanwhile the sheriff heads off to a fishing trip, leaving only the deputy on duty for the entire town.... of course, the killer returns and people start to die.... that's as much as i'll reveal....
all in all, not a bad entry in to the genre.... i gave it 3 out of 5 stars for it's overall feel and execution.... (no pun intended).... the ending was a bit questionable.... but the special effects, the main bad guy and the hero and his girl are all likable and the movie is worth it just for those things.... one funny thing about this was the promoting of the actor Lawrence Tierney.... most of you would know him as 'Joe' from 'Reservoir Dogs'.... but as far as his role in this movie....? you see him in a long shot in a window watching the dorms.... and then he grabs a girl as she runs away from the killer.... that's it. hardly a starring role.... anyway.... long story short.... this is worth your time if you like slasher flicks.... it's above average and should be checked off your list at some point.... then make the decision for yourself about it's classic status....

if you dig this, you may also enjoy: 'My Bloody Valentine' (1981), 'Friday the 13th' (1980) and 'Madman'