HALLOWEEN LIST 2012: Fear in Black and White

Ah...a grand era for film - the days of black and white. A time where wonder and imagination seemed to blossom and go wild. I love it.

I'm not old enough to remember seeing these films in the theater, of course, but I do remember sitting down with my parents - my Mother is a HUGE sci fi and horror fan - with a big bowl of popcorn on Saturday afternoon and watching on TV.  My mind almost exploded when I saw THE THING for the first time. I already have a movie list ready for when my two year old is old enough to start watching these with me!




Yes, there are other black and white classics, of course, but you most likely already know and love those.  These are just a few that you might have missed or might not have seen in a while.


YouTube embedding has not been kind to load times, so I'll keep things to a minimum on that front. If you have younger children and want to do some Halloween movie watching with them, older films like these may be the ticket for you. Some of them still pack a punch!

THE THING (...from Another World)
Storytelling, dialog and a great pace make this film a personal favorite. Iconic scenes like the one to the left are plentiful and the whip-crack pace of the dialog is fantastic. Howard Hawks at his best.

This is a must see.

Keep your eyes peeled for scenes of doors opening. Someone pointed it out to me once and it's a very interesting thing to pay attention to. There are many doors opening and closing in this film. And the makeup work on James Arness is awesome even today. Suggestion: Watch this the same week you watch the remake - it is wild to see the same story told in far different ways. Both are classics.

THEM!

Giant ants. Yes, THE BOMB and fear of what radiation might do had a lot of these giant insect movies popping up, but THEM! holds a special place in my heart. I've re-watched it recently and it's a fun film.

Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Can't....stop....laughing! :) This is classic comedy paired with classic monsters. We have The Wolfman, Frankenstein and Dracula paired up with the brilliant comedy antics of Abbot and Costello. The result is pure gold.
A fun film for the whole family!

 
Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Gillman is a movie monster that tends to get second billing, but he's still number one in my book. Sure, I love the other movie monsters, but the original concept and fun, action adventure setting of this film really make it for me.







 


Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Communists....I mean....aliens.....taking over the world. Brilliant.
This classic is chilling on several fronts. The metaphor isn't lost in translation and it still holds up wonderfully today. Don't fall asleep!









 
The Tingler

William Castle greatness. He even rigged seats with a minor electric shock when the film originally came out. You can't beat that for old school showmanship! (...that would have people running to their lawyers today!) Vincent Price is grand in this film as well.

What makes a shiver run down your spine? THE TINGLER!











 
Night of the Demon

This movie is another one that was watched every time is came on TV. Story plays a major part of this movie. It unfolds like you are reading the original story it was based on and is thick with atmosphere and great performance. Love it. 







 
Dementia 13

Francis Ford Coppola cut his teeth on this twisted tale of greed and family secrets. It has some gritty and creepy visuals that still manage to creep me out when i watch it late at night. If you like a little mystery with your shivers, this is perfect for you. 

The ever chilling CARNIVAL OF SOULS

Carnival of Souls

Madness. This film is madness. Part of me would like to see a "re-envisioning" (remake) of this film, but I know it would just fall flat. This is a perfect film to toss on around 11pm so it starts to wrap up a little after midnight when your mind is a bit mushy and you are sleepy and vulnerable! It's just a creepy film with some great visuals. Be warned, it's a tad slow in parts, but the end is well worth the wait!

And...of course....