Mystery of the Wax MuseumYear: 1933 Director: Michael Curtiz Written by: Don Mullaly, Carl Erickson Threat: Mad Scientist Weapon of Choice: Wax Based upon: play - Charles Belden Color/B&W/3D: Color Language: English Country of Origin: USA IMDb page: |
.1933.jpg "Mystery of the Wax Museum")
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Other movies in this series:
None
The tyranist's thoughts
For every movie I really like from the black & white era, there are 12 I don't. A few have
wonderful, powerful stories, and a few I like simply because I'm amazed by what they
accomplished with so little. This particular film is in color, and while I doubt it was the first
movie ever made in color, it's the earliest one I've seen and the results are pretty spectacular.
A wax sculptor is about to open his most amitious showing yet, a gallery of likenesses so
life-like they are almost unbelievable. But there is a fire and all is lost. Flash forward several
years. A new gallery is about to open on the other side of the Atlantic, but there have been
a string of killings. One intrepid reporter is determined to get to the bottom of things.
The acting was typical of the period, as was the script. They downplayed a lot of the horror
elements and tried to keep the mood light. The story itself, is excellent, and even though it's
been remade, twice already, I can think of another take that I'd love to see.
If you get a chance to see this one, take the time. It is worth seeing and a great example of
the roots of some of today's horror.
Posted: January 13, 2007
Rish Outfield's reviews
I have literally nothing to say about this film.
Then why review it, you ask?
Yeah, good point.
Fay Wray was quite good, very likeable. The dialogue throughout the movie was quite
wonderful, and much more suited for a Screwball Comedy starring Katherine Hepburn
than a horror movie.
Wow, I really did have nothing to say. I owe somebody a dollar. Remind me if it's you.
Posted: August 29, 2007
Total Skulls: 6
| Sequel | ||
| Sequel setup | ||
| Rips off earlier film | ||
| Horror film showing on TV/in theater in movie | ||
| Future celebrity appears | ||
| Former celebrity appears | ||
| Bad title | ||
| Bad premise | ||
| Bad acting | ||
| Bad dialogue | ||
| Bad execution | ||
| MTV Editing | ||
| OTS | ||
| Girl unnecessarily gets naked | ||
| Wanton sex | ||
| Death associated with sex | ||
| Unfulfilled promise of nudity | ||
| Characters forget about threat | ||
| Secluded location | ||
| Power is cut | ||
| Phone lines are cut | ||
| Someone investigates a strange noise | ||
| Someone runs up stairs instead of going out front door | ||
| Camera is the killer | ||
| Victims cower in front of a window/door | ||
| Victim locks self in with killer | ||
| Victim running from killer inexplicably falls | ||
| Toilet stall scene | ||
| Shower/bath scene | ||
| Car stalls or won't start | ||
| Cat jumps out | ||
| Fake scare | ||
| Laughable scare | ||
| Stupid discovery of corpse | ||
| Dream sequence | ||
| Hallucination/Vision | ||
| No one believes only witness |  |
|
| Crazy, drunk, old man knows the truth | ||
| Warning goes unheeded | ||
| Music detracts from scene | ||
| Death in first five minutes | ||
| x years before/later | |
|
| Flashback sequence | ||
| Dark and stormy night | ||
| Killer doesn't stay dead | ||
| Killer wears a mask | |
|
| Killer is in closet | ||
| Killer is in car with victim | ||
| Villain is more sympathetic than heroes | ||
| Unscary villain/monster | ||
| Beheading | |
|
| Blood fountain | ||
| Blood spatters - camera, wall, etc. | ||
| Poor death effect | ||
| Excessive gore | ||
| No one dies at all | ||
| Virgin survives | |
|
| Geek/Nerd survives | ||
| Little kid lamely survives | ||
| Dog/Pet miraculously survives | ||
| Unresolved subplots | ||
| "It was all a dream" ending | ||
| Unbelievably happy ending | ||
| Unbelievably crappy ending | ||
| What the hell? | |
