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List Of Horror Films Of The 1950s
This is a list of horror films released in the 1950s. At the beginning of the 1950s, horror films were described by Kim Newman as being "out of fashion". Among the most influential horror films of the 1950s was ''The Thing From Another World'', with Newman stating that countless science fiction horror films of the 1950s would follow in its style, while a film made just the year before, ''The Man from Planet X'' was still in debt to Universal horror style of filming with a bearded scientist and foggy sets. For five years following the release of ''The Thing From Another World'', nearly every film involving aliens, dinosaurs or radioactive mutants would be dealt with matter-of-fact characters as seen in ''The Thing From Another World''. Even films that adapted for older characters had science fiction leanings such as '' The Vampire'', '' The Werewolf'' and ''Frankenstein 1970'' being influenced by the atomic inspired monsters of the era. Films with a ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horror Film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apocalyptic events, and religious or folk beliefs. Cinematic techniques used in horror films have been shown to provoke psychological reactions in an audience. Horror films have existed for more than a century. Early inspirations from before the development of film include folklore, religious beliefs and superstitions of different cultures, and the Gothic and horror literature of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley. From origins in silent films and German Expressionism, horror only became a codified genre after the release of ''Dracula'' (1931). Many sub-genres emerged in subsequent decades, including body horror, comedy horror, slasher films, supernatural horror and psychological horror. The genre has been produ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Strange Door
''The Strange Door'' is a 1951 American horror film, released by Universal Pictures, and starring Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, Sally Forrest and Richard Stapley. Karloff's role is actually a supporting one but his name carried significant weight in the billing. The picture was directed by Joseph Pevney and was based on the short story "The Sire de Maletroit's Door" by Robert Louis Stevenson. Its alternative title was ''Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Door''.Stephen Jacobs, ''Boris Karloff: More Than a Monster'', Tomahawk Press 2011 p 353-354 Plot Sire Alain de Maletroit (Charles Laughton), plots revenge on his younger brother Edmond (Paul Cavanagh) for stealing Alain's childhood sweetheart, who died giving birth to Edmond's daughter Blanche (Sally Forrest). Alain secretly imprisons Edmond in his dungeon for 20 years and convinces Blanche that her father is dead. Alain intends to further debase Blanche as revenge against Edmond. Alain tricks a high-born drunken cad, Den ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established him as a horror icon, and he reprised the role for the sequels ''Bride of Frankenstein'' (1935) and ''Son of Frankenstein'' (1939). He also appeared as Imhotep in ''The Mummy'' (1932), and voiced the Grinch in, as well as narrating, the animated television special of Dr. Seuss' ''How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'' (1966), which won him a Grammy Award. Aside from his numerous film roles (174 films), Karloff acted in many live stage plays and appeared on dozens of radio and television programs as well. For his contribution to film and television, Karloff was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 8 February 1960. Early life Karloff was born William Henry Pratt on 23 November 1887, [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lon Chaney Jr
Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dracula spelled backward) in '' Son of Dracula'', Frankenstein's monster in ''The Ghost of Frankenstein'' (1942), the Mummy in three pictures, and various other roles in many Universal horror films. He also portrayed Lennie Small in ''Of Mice and Men'' (1939) and supporting parts in dozens of mainstream movies, including '' High Noon'' (1952), and ''The Defiant Ones'' (1958). Originally referred to in films as Creighton Chaney, he was later credited as "Lon Chaney, Jr." in 1935, and after ''Man Made Monster'' (1941), beginning as early as ''The Wolf Man'' later that same year, he was almost always billed under the name of his immensely more famous father, the deceased cinema giant Lon Chaney, at the studio's insistence. Chaney had English, Fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bela Lugosi
Béla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó (; October 20, 1882 – August 16, 1956), known professionally as Bela Lugosi (; ), was a Hungarian and American actor best remembered for portraying Count Dracula in the 1931 horror classic ''Dracula'', Ygor in ''Son of Frankenstein'' (1939) and his roles in many other horror films from 1931 through 1956. Lugosi began acting on the Hungarian stage in 1902. After playing in 172 different productions in his native Hungary, Lugosi moved on to appearing in Hungarian silent films in 1917. He had to suddenly emigrate to Germany after the failed Hungarian Communist Revolution of 1919 because of his former socialist activities (organizing a stage actors' union), leaving his first wife in the process. He acted in several films in Weimar Germany, before arriving in New Orleans as a seaman on a merchant ship, then making his way north to New York City and Ellis Island. In 1927, he starred as Count Dracula in a Broadway adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, mo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions Ltd. is a British film production company based in London. Founded in 1934, the company is best known for a series of Gothic horror and fantasy films made from the mid-1950s until the 1970s. Many of these involve classic horror characters such as Baron Victor Frankenstein, Count Dracula, and the Mummy, which Hammer reintroduced to audiences by filming them in vivid colour for the first time. Hammer also produced science fiction, thrillers, film noir and comedies, as well as, in later years, television series. During its most successful years, Hammer dominated the horror film market, enjoying worldwide distribution and considerable financial success. This success was, in part, due to its distribution partnerships with American companies United Artists, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, American International Pictures and Seven Arts Productions as well as fellow European fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Wasp Woman
''The Wasp Woman'' (also known as ''The Bee Girl'' and ''Insect Woman'') is a 1959 American independent science-fiction horror film produced and directed by Roger Corman. Filmed in black-and-white, it stars Susan Cabot, Anthony Eisley, Michael Mark, and Barboura Morris. The film was originally released by Filmgroup as a double feature with '' Beast from Haunted Cave''. To pad out the film's running time when it was released to television two years later, a new prologue was added by director Jack Hill. Plot In Hill's prologue, a scientist, Dr. Eric Zinthrop ( Michael Mark), is fired from his job at a honey farm for experimenting with wasps. The founder and owner of a large cosmetics company, Janice Starlin ( Susan Cabot), is disturbed when her firm's sales begin to drop after it becomes apparent to her customer base that she is aging. Zinthrop has been able to extract enzymes from the royal jelly of the queen wasp that can reverse the aging process. Janice agrees to fund ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Leech Woman
''The Leech Woman'' is a 1960 black-and-white US horror film from Universal-International, produced by Joseph Gershenon, directed by Edward Dein, and starring Coleen Gray, Grant Williams, Gloria Talbott, and Phillip Terry. The film was actually produced in 1959. ''The Leech Woman''s 1960 US theatrical release from Universal was as a double feature with the British horror film ''The Brides of Dracula''. Rank Film Distributors handled the film's UK release. ''The Leech Woman''s storyline is about a middle-aged American woman, desperate to be young again, who uses an ancient, secret African potion to regain her lost youth and beauty. The potion works, but only temporarily, requiring repeated usage. Plot A mysterious old woman named Malla who claims to have been brought to America 140 years ago as a slave approaches endocrinologist Dr. Paul Talbot and promises to reveal to him the secret of eternal youth if he will fund her final trip back to Africa, so that she can be beautif ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pin-up Model
A pin-up model (known as a pin-up girl for a female and less commonly male pin-up for a male) is a model whose mass-produced pictures see widespread appeal as part of popular culture. Pin-up models were variously glamour models, fashion models, or actresses whose pictures were intended for informal display, i.e. meant to be "''pinned-up''" on a wall, which is the basis for the etymology of the phrase. These pictures are also sometimes known as cheesecake photos. ''Cheesecake'' was an American slang word that became a publicly acceptable term for scantily-clad, semi-nude, or nude photos of women because ''pin-up'' was considered taboo in the early 20th century. The term ''pin-up'' may refer to drawings, paintings, and other illustrations as well as photographs. The term was first attested to in English in 1941 even though the practice is documented at least back to the 1890s. Pin-up images could be cut out of magazines or newspapers, or they could be on a postcard or lithograph ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cult Of The Cobra
''Cult of the Cobra'' is a 1955 American black-and-white horror film from Universal-International Pictures, produced by Howard Pine, directed by Francis D. Lyon, that stars Faith Domergue, Richard Long, Kathleen Hughes, Marshall Thompson, Jack Kelly, William Reynolds, and David Janssen. The film was released as a double feature with ''Revenge of the Creature''. Six American officers witness the secret ritual of Lamians (worshipers of women who can change into serpents). When the soldiers are discovered by the snake cult, the High Lamian Priestess vows that "the Cobra Goddess will avenge herself". Once back in the United States, a mysterious woman enters into the life of each service man, with disastrous results: "accidents" begin to happen, and before each death the shadow of a cobra is seen. Critics noted story similarities with Val Lewton's prior horror film '' Cat People'', released in 1942. Plot Before shipping home at the end of World War II, six American Army Air Fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Maze (1953 Film)
''The Maze'' is a 1953 3-D horror film starring Richard Carlson, Veronica Hurst and Hillary Brooke. It was directed by William Cameron Menzies and distributed by Allied Artists Pictures. It was to be the second 3-D film designed and directed by William Cameron Menzies, known for his very "dimensional" style (e.g. many shots focused in layers). It was his final film as production designer and director. Plot A Scotsman, Gerald MacTeam ( Richard Carlson), abruptly breaks off his engagement to pretty Kitty (Veronica Hurst) after receiving word of his uncle's death. He inherits a mysterious castle in the Scottish highlands and moves there to live with the castle servants. Kitty refuses to accept the broken engagement and travels there with her aunt (Katherine Emery). When they arrive, they discover Gerald has suddenly aged and his manner has changed significantly. After a series of mysterious events in the castle and its hedge maze, they invite a group of friends there, includin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phantom Of The Rue Morgue
''Phantom of the Rue Morgue'' is a 1954 American mystery horror film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Karl Malden, Claude Dauphin and Patricia Medina. The film is an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's 1841 short story ''The Murders in the Rue Morgue''. Warner Bros. released several 3D productions during the 1950s, including the big-budget ''The Charge at Feather River'' (1953). Following another western, ''The Moonlighter'' (1953), starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray, the studio attempted to repeat the success they had with '' House of Wax'' the previous year. This movie was based on the same story which had formed the basis of a 1932 horror film which stars Bela Lugosi. Plot In France in the 1870s, a string of strange murders happen in the Rue Morgue. The authorities are baffled, but they do have one man who may have the answers, Prof. Dupin. When Dupin is approached by the police to help, he agrees. Soon a set of suspects are found, including a sailor named Jacqu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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