The Strange and Supernatural Adventure of Allan Gray

For those of you who like art film, you might want to check out what might be one of the earliest art-horror films ever made. Vampyr was made in 1930, though released in 1932, and is one of the first handful of films made after the invention of sound. Of course, this movie does not rely on the new technology of sound to make its point. With little dialogue — and some may say plot — Vampyr relies on lighting and shadow techniques to create drama. The film appears a little grainy at times, but don't be alarmed. That's all part of the lighting effects. In fact, the lighting of this film has been continually praised since its making. For those of you who want to watch it, the film is public domain and can be found here.

The film is French-German but is made by Danish director Carol Theodor Dreyer, whom takes credit for the magnificent lighting effects. The film is meant to have a dreamlike, surreal quality to it and focuses more on imagery than anything else. The film itself was popular enough that it was translated into French, German, and English. Unfortunately, prints of the English version are all but lost and so we have to do with self-made title cards and subtitles with the film in the original German. Most of the actors were amateurs (think student art film people), but nonetheless, it is a good film. I really hope none of this information detracts from you wanting to watch it because it truly is a good film.

Vampyr is based on Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's novella Carmilla, which predates Bram Stoker's Dracula. For those of you interested, Carmilla can be read here on the vast online library that is Project Gutenberg. The story is relatively the same, and parallels most vampire stories of the era. The story follows young Allan Gray as he comes to a castle to study demonology and vampires. A dreamer himself, Gray had some problems distinguishing between what is real and what is surreal. He is given a copy of a book called The History of Vampires, which arouses his suspicions about the strange things happening in the area. Then, the beautiful daughter of the lord who's castle Gray is staying in comes down with a mysterious illness. At first, it is believed to be only anemia, but Gray feels there is something more sinister at work and tries to uncover the mystery of the dark forces haunting the area. As things get more intense, Gray discovers his quest to find the truth could cost him his soul.

So, this film is a great art film for those of you into that and does have vampire elements for those of you who are into that. It is also great for anyone who is a fan of lighting effects and early sound films. Of course, I don't want to limit this film to anyone in one of those categories. I really think everyone should watch Vampyr as a means of broadening your film horizons.

The Worst Film of All Time?

In my search of public domain films that I can watch online for free rather than shelling out the money to rent or buy, I came across this magnificent title which I just had to watch: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. The film is billed as a horror film, though I am not sure if that is because it's intended to be scary of if the film is just so bad it's horrible. I came to the conclusion quite early that this film is public domain because no one wanted to claim ownership of what is a definite contender for the title of "Worst Film of All Time". If you are brave enough to subject yourself to this travesty of film making or just want a good laugh, you can watch it here.

Made in 1964, the film has a cheesy set, cheesy lines, cheesy music, cheesy costumes, cheesy Martians, and a cheesy premise. Basically, Martians kidnap Santa so he can give presents to Martian children for Christmas. I really don't feel that I need to explain beyond that, mainly because I don't think you'd believe me if I told you the rest. The film does an early critique of "Earth Television", which is apparently ruining the children of Mars who watch it. Anyone can find it obvious as to why the film was not an Academy-Award nominee when it came out in the mid-Sixties, but the film gained relative popularity after being made fun of on Mystery Science Theater 3000, which should say something about its quality.

Basically, this film is in the "so bad it's almost good" category and deserves the title of horror movie because it is just that filled with horror. So, if you love cheesy B-movies, bad Sixties Alien flicks, movies with Santa Claus, or any film that's so bad its scary, I highly recommend Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. The title, if nothing else, should give you a good laugh.

"What are the thirty-nine steps?"

One of Hitchcock's earlier films, when he was still working in his homeland of England, The 39 Steps is a great early film filled with suspense and adventure. It follows along several Hitchcock themes, such as mistaken identity, an innocent man on the run, and international spy rings. The 1935 film is based on an adventure novel by John Buchan. Another public domain movie, you can also find this one on Google Video right here.

The movie begins with Richard Hannay(Robert Donat), a Canadian visiting London, goes to see the "Mr. Memory" show at a musical hall in London. After a riot breaks out in the theatre, he finds himself helping Annabella Smith(Lucie Mannheim), who claims she is running away from a group of spies who are trying to kill her. Hannay doesn't seem to believe her story until she is murdered in his apartment during the night. Afraid of being accused of her murder as well as the spies and detectives now on his trial, Hannay flees through the countryside. He finds himself desperately attempting to escape his persuers, he uses the beautiful Pamela (Madeleine Carroll), who he meets on a train, as a means evading capture, entangling her in the midst of the spy game he has also unwittingly trapped himself in. Now Hannay has to convince Pamela he is telling the truth, bring down the spy ring on his tail, and figure out the myster that is the 39 Steps.

Hitch uses some great scenery shots in this film, using the beautiful backdrop of England and Scotland for a dark, suspenseful plot. Hannay must rely on the kindness of strangers in order to survive his ordeal and the shots used in the film help to portray his sense of fear and create fear for him in the audience as he his being ruthless chased down for the crime he did not commit.

Britmovie.co.uk explores the plot of the film and the cultural importance of The 39 Steps. This film not only helped to begin Hitchcock's legacy as perhaps the most legendary film director of all time, but had a significant impact on the history of film as well. This film was Hitchcock's first "blockbuster" in England and made US audiences and studio heads begin to take notice of the director's talent. It is the first film that explores the common Hitchcock themes. Also, Filmsite.org gives detailed plot information on the film to clear up any confusion and outlines what happens over the two day period in which the action of the film takes place.
If you want to see a good early Hitchcock film with all of the twists, suspense, and intrique his fans are so accustomed to, The 39 Steps is a good place to begin. It shows Hitchcock's directorial mastery even early on in his career. The film is a great watch for anyone, Hitchcock or suspense fan.