House of Wax
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Movie Reviews of House of Wax
Movie Review: A Classic Horror Flick From The 50's
Summary: 5 Stars
1953's "House Of Wax" launched the career of horror film star Vincent Price. He would later become the king of classic horror films from the 50's, including House On Haunted Hill, the original The Fly and others. This is a remake of the 30's version, which on DVD, comes as an extra bonus. Vincent Price stars as a wronged artist whose wax figures, stunningly life like, cause a jealous rival to burn down his museum. I may be mistaken but I saw this film a while ago late night but I'm sure that's the plot. The fire also left Vincent Price's character horribly scarred so that he looks like the Phantom Of The Opera. The wronged artist takes his revenge by creating a House Of Wax or Chamber Of Horrors in the style of today's Ripley's Believ It Or Not Museum. Wax figures pose in scenes of dramatic violence taken directly from history - the beheading of the wives of Henry the 8th in Tudor England, the burning of Joan of Arc, the guillotine executiones of the French Revolution, etc and a very impressive Ford's Theatre replica in which John Wilkes Booth shoots Abraham Lincoln. Vincent Price's character is killing his victims and then uses their corpses as wax statues. The heroine of the film picks up on his little scheme since the death of her friend (played by Carolyn Jones who would later play the role of the tv mom Morticia Addams in The Addams Family 1964-1966). Her body became encased in wax as the Joan of Arc statue. The film was originally made for 3-D, the current rage in the movies of the 50's especially for sci-fi films and monster movies. Much of the movie is scary because it's so subtle. The creepy, eerie sense of being alone in a wax museum, where the eyes of the figures watch you is very predominant. Suspense builds and there is a sense of mystery typical of a Gothic novel of the 19th century or an Edgar Allan Poe story. The film is set in 19th century New York City. A great film to watch and suited for fans of the older horror genre. Not exactly Alfred Hitchcock nor Bela Lugosi films but Vincent Price carries the movie with aplomb and this style of horror became his trademark. Five stars all the way. The performances by all the lead actors are well done. The movie is subtle, psychological horror drama with no blood but with a very scary sense of criminal madness. This "artist" is really the kind we don't want to have around these days.
Movie Review: "come see the House of Wax...."
Summary: 5 Stars
HOUSE OF WAX, and the rare original 2-strip Technicolor feature which inspired it, MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM, are nicely partnered in this double feature DVD.
HOUSE OF WAX is the grand classic 3D Gothic-fest starring Vincent Price as Professor Henry Jarrod, a man driven to insanity by his compulsion to replace his destroyed waxwork masterpieces. Though it would have been great to have the film in its original 3D format (apparently the 3D process has not yet been fully perfected for DVD) having this enjoyable romp on DVD at all is a blessing in itself. Phyllis Kirk plays Jarrod's intended victim...the ideal `model' for his waxwork of Marie Antoinette. Carolyn Jones plays Cathy Gray, the blowzy good-time girl who becomes Joan of Arc.
The fire which destroy's Prof. Jarrod's waxworks is still one of the most amazing sequences in the movie. The waxwork figures themselves are incredible. Phyllis Kirk and Carolyn Jones are the perfect scream-queens with fine support from Paul Picerni, Frank Lovejoy, Charles Bronson, Mary Lou Holloway and Reggie Rymal as the paddle-ball man. The effective musical score is by David Buttolph.
MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM stars Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray, though the movie is mercilessly-stolen by Glenda Farrell in the unofficial lead role of sparky reporter Florence Dempsey. Farrell spits out the caustic jokes and insults like nobody's business. While this is supposed to be Atwill and Wray's show, we end up watching Glenda Farrell instead as she chews the scenery and attempts to solve a series of murders which all lead back to the new wax museum that has just opened... Fay Wray plays Charlotte Duncan, the intended `successor' to Marie Antoinette.
Once again, the fire of the waxworks is the big highlight of the movie, nicely rendered here in early 2-strip Technicolor. According to several sources, this was the first horror film to feature a modern-day setting. This movie was regarded as a `lost film' until a print was finally discovered in an archive some 15 years ago.
Movie Review: Original 1933 MYSTERY is the real prize here-differences
Summary: 5 Stars
The cleaned up and brightened WB print to the original 1933 MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM is the true find here. I compared it to WB's 1987 VHS release and the latter looks positively murky, compared to the brightness and cleanliness of this dvd transfer. It's a revelation and is still the supreme achievement in two-strip Technicolor.
Differences between the two films:
Original is set in both the past and the 1933 present. Remake is set solidly in the early 20th century past. Original takes place first in London, then NYC. The remake takes place continuously in NYC.
The characters of the newspaper reporter and editor, as well as the wealthy boyfriend of the first victim are scrapped. Phyllis Kirk in the remake absorbs both the Farrell and Wray characters of the original in being both the curious snoop and the sought after model for the Marie Antoinette.
In the remake the initial visits by the co-owner villain and the entrepreneurs are reversed. The remake has a gas explosion intensifying the supposed effects of the fire. In the remake the murder of the villain is actually seen and takes place early in the film.
The murdered girl who becomes the body of Joan of Arc becomes Kirk's roommate in the remake.
The morgue body stealing sequence is intact in both versions, down to the dialogue.
Among the new sequences added is the return of the original entrepreneur who is shown the waxing process in the basement.
There is an intermission in the remake, occurring 43:30 minutes into the film, just before the Wax Museum opening.
The sculpture boyfriend is new to the Museum in the remake, not an already established worker. In the remake the stoolie is an alcoholic, not a junky.
The police investigation is much more proactive in the remake. Nice added touch of the almost guillotined boyfriend in the remake.
Both are fun films - this is a great double bill dvd - especially with the restoration of the 1933 original.
Movie Review: One of Price's finest
Summary: 5 Stars
When discussing an actor like Vincent Price there are so many examples of his genius it's sometimes difficult to pick just one or two as a favorite. For me, "House of Wax" is one of the best.
Originally appearing in 3-D, the movie starts out with a bang, as Price's character, a sculptor who is a genius when it comes to creating figures from wax, finds himself the victim of a greedy partner. Fire consumes the sculptor's wax museum, melting and burning his "children," and leaving him not dead as his partner believes, but crippled and bitter.
After recovering from his wounds, the sculptor decides to re-open his wax museum, this time featuring just the kind of exhibits he once abhorred: images of the macabre, displays of death and tragedy.
Enter our heroine, the destitute young woman who finds her roommate murdered with the murderer standing over her body. After seeking refuge with her sculptor boyfriend, the heroine begins to realize that the owner of the newest wax museum may not be as benevolent as he seems.
Filled with exciting fight scenes (some of them memorable because of the real-life mistakes such as one in the very beginning when an object thrown at Price winds up hitting the camera) and chilling chases, "House of Wax" is the cream of the 3-D crop. At times campy and somewhat silly, there is a little something for everyone in this movie. For fun, see if you can spot a very young Charles Bronson. He's an important character but looks NOTHING like he does in his later films. You won't find him listed as "Bronson" in the credits, so no cheating!
Be sure and give "House of Wax" a try, it's perfect for a family movie night with very little in the way of sex and gore, yet offering lots of excitement and lots of thrills and chills.
Movie Review: Vincent Price's first horror film
Summary: 5 Stars
This 1953 color movie was originally released as a 3D movie, something very popular in the 1950s. The storyline is basically this: It is early twentieth century New York, and a wax sculptor named Henry Jarrod (Vincent Price) refuses to give in to his financial partner's wishes for better wax exhibits to boost profits for the museum. In reliation, this business partner, Matthew Burke (Roy Roberts) sets fire to the museum which destroys all of Jarrod's life's work. However, Jarrod survives the fire and is badly burned as a result. Jarrod disguises his facial burns with a wax mask he has made to appear normal looking. His goal is to open a new museum called House Of Wax and restock it with actual people who are his murder victims, but covered with wax. He does all of this because the fire that disfigured him and destroyed his life's work has made him become a madman. In the end, it is he who is a victim of his own wax trap.
This movie also stars Carolyn Jones (The Addams Family, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, and Marsha Queen Of Diamonds from the 1960s Batman TV series) as murder victim Cathy Gray. It also stars Phyllis Kirk as Gray's suspicious friend Sue Allen (who notices that all the waxworks are wax-coated murder victims of Jarrod), and Charles Bronson, who plays a deaf-mute sculptor.
The acting and the movie in general is a little campy, yet spooky at the same time. All in all, it is a good movie that was the first horror movie of Vincent Price's career. This DVD also comes with the 1933 color film that inspired the 1953 remake, Mystery Of The Wax Museum, starring Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray (King Kong 1933). I like Mystery Of The Wax Museum just as much as House Of Wax. I definitely recommend this double feature DVD.