Dracula (1958)

Jonathan Harker takes employment with Count Dracula, ostensibly to catalogue his vast library. Harker is shocked to uncover a woman who claims to be a prisoner of the Count and begs for his help. Before he can do so, however, Harker suffers the risen Count's wrath. Dracula, seeking more blood and vengeance, takes an interest in Harker's fiancée, Lucy Holmwood. It is left to Harker's colleague, Dr. Van Helsing to protect her. Also known as Horror of Dracula, this film would mark the first in a long line of Hammer Horror films to delve into the character of the most popular vampire ever known, Count Dracula. After ascertaining the rights to the use of the character, whose biggest depiction was in the renowned Dracula (1931), we finally got to see a retelling in the Hammer style, which opened the gateway to more frights, violence and blood. Whilst making some minor alterations to Stoker's marvellous story we are still treated to one of the finest depictions of the classic tale of all time that still manages to stand the test of time. It equally continues to hold a firm fixture in pop culture history and is highly regarded in the likes of film, Hammer Horror's illustrious catalogue, the horror genre and by moviegoers alike to this day. Taking the reins of this quintessential Dracula is none other than the grand actor Christopher Lee. Every feature and aspect of his portrayal makes the character all the more perfect. From his imposing height and presence to his ability to be so gentlemanly one minute before degrading into a hungry beast with bloodshot eyes and fangs the next. His take on the character is so impactful that whenever I think of Dracula, Lee is never far from my mind, and to think he only had thirteen lines. His counterpart to the story and rival, Dr. Van Helsing is equally highly regarded much like the actor playing him, Peter Cushing. It is well known Cushing and Lee had a fascinating friendship and their involvement in projects together is truly vast, especially with Hammer's Horror films. Cushing is a perfect counter as he embodies that of righteousness, doing all that is necessary for his fight against Dracula and his spawn. It is Helsing's arrival that brings us closer to the downfall of Dracula becoming personal for him with his friend Harker gone and his bride-to-be, Lucy, becoming a target. Helsing attempts to enlist help from Lucy's brother, Arthur, in this fight but to no avail. It's not until the effects upon Lucy become clear and a similar situation befalls his wife, Mina that he aids Helsing in his task. One of my favourite aspects of this film was seeing this team up as they eventually come to an understanding, working together as a formidable force against this evil. We also, get to see Helsing's extensive knowledge of dealing with vampirism throughout from the use of garlic to the cross and staking of the heart, which is given a full sequence that displays a whole plethora of emotions and is exceptionally executed. However, the moment everyone is naturally waiting for is the inevitable climactic fight between Dracula and Helsing. Let's just say, it is phenomenal. Their duel is honestly the highlight, filled with such tense and suspenseful moments that culminate in Dracula's brute force and Helsing's ingenuity. Plus the effects that follow are truly spectacular and remain as impressive now as they were then. One other aspect of this stupendous film was the exquisite set design that held as much presence as the actors featured in them, especially lending to the tones of certain scenes. Dracula's castle has never looked more extravagant and the same can be said for all the other settings. Overall, I regard this depiction to be the definitive version of the classic tale in every sense. Not a single beat is missed from the fantastic casting to the setting and tones, accompanied by a haunting score and viscerally pleasing direction. It is without a doubt one I recommend to all moviegoers and horror enthusiasts with a love for the Count, especially for the franchise it heralded. Also, a big thank you to my Dad for introducing me to this impressive line-up. Check out the sequel The Brides of Dracula (1960) for Cushing's Helsing on a new mission, or for Lee's return, see Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966).

Runtime: 1h 22m

Director: Terence Fisher

Genre: Drama / Horror

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The Court Jester (1955)

Former carnival performer Hubert Hawkins and maid Jean are assigned to protect the infant royal heir from tyrannical King Roderick I. While Jean takes the baby to an abbey, Hawkins gains access to the court by impersonating the king's jester, unaware that the jester is an assassin hired by scheming Sir Ravenhurst. When Princess Gwendolyn, falls for Hawkins, a witch secretly aids him in becoming a knight. The Court Jester is arguably one of the grandest pieces of entertainment to come out of the 1950s. It takes so many elements from comedy, action, musical numbers, romance, sense of adventure and so much more, pushing them to their fullest. This film gives that true grand big-screen production aura too, which I simply adore. From towering set pieces, extravagant action segments in the wide open halls of the castle to a clearing in the woods for acrobatic displays, there are plenty of beautiful shots and imagery to draw you in with its immense scope. Equally drawing us in is the use of such bright vibrant colours. With colour beginning to be more present during the 50's, movies like this one made good use of it, showing it in all its glory. There are lush green landscapes, striking rich outfits, bright blue skies and a vast array of more explosive colours to delight our senses. Alongside the overwhelming beauty of this film, another exceptional aspect of this picture is the cast. Naturally, Danny Kaye steals the show displaying a tremendous range of talent with his singing, tongue-twisting dialogue, witty humour, switching between roles in an instant and showing a constant tremendous amount of energy. Kaye's character, Hubert Hawkins, is easily the star both in the sense of story but also as a joyful highlight to follow in this wacky caper. Being a former carnival performer, Hawkins' acrobatic agility is shown in full swing alongside his ability to sing and play. Whilst a musical film, it doesn't quite follow in the footsteps of others where a character would randomly burst into a song out of nowhere, they lead into it in a way that fits with the story or moment. My favourite however doesn't feature in the movie but is played during the opening credits where Hawkins moves and interacts with the text whilst singing about what we are in store for in this adventure. Hawkins is the minstrel to the Black Fox who is thrown into the dangerous task of escorting and caring for a baby who is the rightful heir but is currently hunted by an unjust king. He is accompanied by Jean (played by Glynis Johns) whom he falls for and with her help, they concoct a plan to infiltrate into the castle upon knocking out the king's jester who stumbled upon them. From then on out, the film truly goes wild as Hawkins enters the midst of the lion's den pretending to be Giacomo who turns out was a hired assassin with orders to kill the king by Sir Ravenhurst. There are so many crazy moments that ensue from a bewitchment by the witch Griselda that can be triggered at the snap of a finger, the king's daughter, Princess Gwendolyn (played by Angela Lansbury) thinking he is her one true love, a rival interest in the princess challenging him for her hand and so much more. There are plenty of bewildering moments that are only brought to their full entertainment by the comical Hawkins like the snapping bringing him in and out of a trance on multiple occasions much to his confusion. One of the more iconic segments involves the tongue twister scene involving a poisonous drink with the line, "The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!" It is such a fun line that is frequently quoted by viewers and is equally made enjoyable by the constant confusion of the words that puts Hawkins in a dilemma. The film excels with its later fights that are so extravagant, with the entire brawl of the Black Fox's men to Hawkins and Ravenhurst's duel that is unbelievably quick and truly a sight to behold. Overall, The Court Jester is a tremendous experience full of wonderfully weird twists and turns, songs, action, romance and comedic attributes. It makes for some brilliant family viewing or a perfect delight to sit back relax and have a few laughs. A true cinematic classic to behold.

Runtime: 1h 29m

Director: Brian Henson

Genre: Adventure / Comedy / Family / Musical

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White Christmas (1954)

Having left the Army following WWII, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy Haynes) who also have a song-and-dance act. When Betty and Judy travel to a Vermont lodge to perform a Christmas show, Wallace and Davis follow, only to find their former commander, General Waverly, as the lodge owner. He's sunk his savings and his pension into the venture but it has yet to snow and it looks like he's on the verge of bankruptcy. They come up with a plan to help the General out, but a misunderstanding leads to a rift between Bob and Betty, leaving it to Phil and Judy to try and get them back together. White Christmas is one of the warmest feeling festive flicks I have ever encountered. Just something about the atmosphere gives off a comforting vibe that is accompanied by the spectacular cast who give this film life. We open to a grand setting of a demolished site during the Second World War with buildings in ruins with a small stage built in the centre. We get a glimpse of the performances done to boost the morale of the troops, especially during the Christmas period where we see Wallace and Davis doing some routines. It is one of my favourite scenes most likely for the set design but also the singing of Crosby's iconic 'White Christmas' which he is most well known for and a farewell song featuring the whole crew to their commander in a heartfelt moment. As it ends the site is bombed and a wall almost falls on Wallace who is luckily saved by Davis who 'injures' his arm and uses this to guilt trip him into forming a duo act in performing. They of course become a renouned success after the war but Davis sets his sights on some time to relax and attempts to settle Wallace down with a lady, also as a means of cheering him up. They later meet another duo act, sisters Betty and Judy Haynes where the two fall for the other ladies. Each of the main cast are of course singers and performers who translate their skills onto the big screen in a plethra of ways. Bing Crosby brings his delightful singing, Danny Kaye offers his energetic dancing and comedy, Vera-Ellen her spectacular dancing and Rosemary Clooney supplies her beautiful voice. Each brings a definitive trait that sets them apart from the rest whilst also combining their talents into a fabulous display, working off of one another. This can be best seen through Danny (Davis) dancing with Vera (Judy) in a striking display early on in the film full of stunts and some magnificent choreography. The group end up taking a joint holiday to Vermont where they bump into their old commander, General Waverly who now owns a lodge that is falling on bad times, which the duo attempts to fix. Using their popularity and influence with the aid of the sisters, Wallace and Davis bring over their show to entertain, plus arrange all the soldiers who served under the General to lift his spirits. Whilst at the lodge we see plenty of dancing segments mainly through the use of practising before the show, which fills gaps throughout the film for some dance numbers and pretty spectacles. Equally, we get some moments for songs with highlights revolving around Crosby (Wallace) and Rosemary (Betty) whose romance takes centre stage with its ups and downs. Their chemistry was incredible and was a romance that we, the viewers, wanted to see blossom to its fullest like Davis and Judy, which makes their eventual get-together all the more satisfying. My one gripe throughout the film was a slight absence of the look of Christmas. Its presence is certainly felt and talked about but with the lack of snow (until the end) and little decor at times felt as though it could be a film for any time of the year rather than a Christmas flick. However, towards the end, it all comes together with all the plot lines and payoffs coming to a close with that picture-perfect winter and a dazzling display of the festivities. Overall, I had a wonderful time and it's easy to see why it is many people's comfort movie. There are catchy songs, exquisite dances and it produces just the right feeling of warmth and joy. A perfect film for the perfect season.

Runtime: 2h

Director: Michael Curtiz

Genre: Comedy / Musical / Romance

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Forbidden Planet (1956)

When Commander Adams and his crew are sent to investigate why there have been no communications from a planet explored 20 years earlier by scientists, he finds only two survivors, Dr. Morbius and his daughter, Altaira. Morbius isn't exactly pleased to see them and would have preferred that they hadn't landed. He does his best to get them on their way but Commander Adams and his men soon face an invisible force leading them to believe that Morbius and the girl are in danger. Morbius claims to know nothing of other life on the planet but does reveal there once existed a far superior race, now extinct, that had an unimaginable power, which the Dr., however, has no intention of sharing. Forbidden Planet is simply the definition of a cult classic and has cemented its popularity in pop culture history. Although the movie flopped upon its original release, despite being an expensive production for its time, this feature has only grown in its popularity over the years and has become so beloved by fans. It's easy to see why this film has received such overwhelming admiration from the beautiful sets and landscapes, the creative special effects, the amazing acting and last but not least, Robby the Robot. I was blown away by how intricate the detail on display was. The grand desert-like landscape of the planet, Altair IV, looks incredibly real with a fantastic backdrop, which seals the deal of creating a believable alien world. Not only does the Altair IV hold such impressive detail, but other elements like the futuristic buildings, the spaceship, the crew's weapons and every single piece of equipment visible. Everything adds up towards the making of a truly breathtaking science fiction picture that has stood the test of time with the help of some magnificent cinematography. When it comes to the practical and visual effects, they are out of this world. For the time they are exceptional. The one I loved most was during the monster attack on the spaceship that used some hand-drawn animation from the creature to the weapons firing, everything looked truly magical. Out of all the actors, the one who surprised me the most was Leslie Nielsen as Commander Addams mainly due to his instant association with his more comedic productions, which threw me off slightly to see him acting in a serious role. Despite releasing long before his comedy movie streak was made popular by the hilarious Airplane! (1980), it still feels odd seeing him being so stern and natural. However, although Nielsen may have been a great actor in this production, the spotlight shone on another upcoming star, Robby the Robot. Robby has become a staple in the film industry as one of the most famous robots in the entirety of pop culture history. He is not only known for his appearance in Forbidden Planet as he has also appeared in his own films and other productions as cameos, most notably in Gremlins (1984) and Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). This sci-fi adventure classic may be one of the most recognisable of this genre since, after all, it practically made it. Products such as Star Wars may have redefined this genre drastically, but this one certainly created it. It is clear how much of an impact it had going forward for the inspiration of other projects, especially Star Trek (TV Series 1966-1969). Whilst watching this for the first time, I was instantly brought to the feeling that I was viewing a classic Star Trek adventure. Upon collecting, all the elements of this production together, it starts to sound like a big-screen budget episode of the outstanding sci-fi show. It is obvious how it inspired the creation of that television program as they practically share the same essence. Being a huge fan of Star Trek (especially the original) this almost felt like a fun addition to the program, which made my enjoyment all the more so. Overall, what more can be said about this classic other than it is perfect? I adore this piece of 50s sci-fi that feels so grand in every aspect, which managed to start a catalyst that created so many other iconic productions. I highly recommend checking this one out and I'm sure it's one everybody can easily recognise even if you've never seen it, but why not look it over for yourself to fully understand why it is praised by so many?

Runtime: 1h 38m

Director: Fred M. Wilcox

Genre: Adventure / Sci-fi

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Rawhide (1951)

Vinnie Holt, a single woman travelling with her baby niece, becomes stranded at Rawhide, a desert stagecoach stop managed by stationmaster Sam Todd and his assistant Tom Owens. Meanwhile, Jim Zimmerman, a fugitive murderer disguises as a Deputy, and along with three other ruthless escapees, takes over the station. They're intent on robbing the next day's gold shipment. After murdering Sam, Zimmerman knows they must keep Tom alive to complete their plans. Zim assumes that Vinnie is Owen's wife, and choosing not to correct him, Owen and Vinnie pretend, sensing that the misconception might be the key to her survival as well. They must work together to find a way to escape or warn the stagecoach before it's too late. Rawhide has to be one of my all-time favourite westerns, easily making one of my top 10 for this particular genre. It is packed full of tension, action, drama and romance. As well as being just an overall thrilling movie, it is also educational as it taught me some interesting aspects of the old west, like the features and inner workings of a stagecoach stop. It acts as a pit stop for stagecoaches so that the driver and passengers can eat, rest and wash whilst new mules get hitched to the stage. It is a very clever and effective method for such long travelling and very fascinating to learn about, even see how it could have looked and operated. One of my favourite aspects of the film had to be the leading protagonist captives: Owen and Vinnie. They don't quite get along in the first place. They bicker and dispute, not getting on with one another, however, as the film progresses and they are imprisoned, they begin to work together to escape. They even start to treat one another respectfully and even show signs of a possible romance whilst pretending to be married, in order to stay alive. Also, considering Vinnie has her baby niece to take care of and protect, it adds some apprehension to the story with a young innocent child thrown into the mix. I also found the fugitives to be very entertaining and intriguing. The leader, Zim, although ruthless and hot-tempered, is also respectful enough at times toward the prisoners if they behave and cooperate that is. He constantly keeps the other men in line since he devised the plan for the robbery and makes sure the others do what is right to succeed. Members: Yancy and Gratz are very loyal to Zim and do everything he commands, however, Tevis is wild and doesn't like Zim, who constantly has to put him right for trying to get with Vinnie and his constant desire to kill the prisoners. Tevis is extremely creepy and has some very chilling scenes, even some shockingly unexpected sequences that genuinely had me in disbelief, it came out of nowhere. Despite hinting at such an eventual outcome, I wasn't expecting it to actually come true, although, considering how he had been acting the whole film, his mannerism surely insinuated his rouge tendencies. All the attempts made by Owen and Vinnie to escape and alert the passing wagons of the danger they are in were certainly some of the best sequences of the whole film. Their desperation to be helped and freed drove the thriller aspect to its fullest. From trying to steal guns, digging a hole in the wall and handing a note to the drivers passing, each attempt has you sitting at the edge of your seat, hoping for them to escape the danger, almost as if we ourselves were with them in this dire situation. Whilst some attempts proved worthwhile, sometimes they would later go awry or come dangerously close to being uncovered. But by far the most exciting part was the climactic shoot-out that had all dangers, twists and heart-pumping action that makes for a fantastic finale. Overall, although a lesser-known flick (and Western at that), Rawhide is a true cult classic that should be more widely known. The whole feature is available for free on YouTube and should, without a doubt, be sought out by all Western fans. Even if you are a simple avid moviegoer, then this is undoubtedly worth your time for its abundance of exciting qualities.  

Runtime: 1h 29m

Director: Henry Hathaway

Genre: Drama / Romance / Western

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The Blob (1958)

After teenagers Steve Andrews and his girlfriend Jane Martin see a meteorite crash nearby, they set off to investigate. They come across an old man who seems to have some type of gelatinous matter stuck to his hand. They take him to Dr. Hallen who isn't sure what the substance is but Steve becomes convinced it's a monster of some sort after both the old man and the doctor vanished. As the creature consumes more and more people, it grows larger and larger. Steve's biggest problem is that he can't get anyone to believe him and continually faces sceptical policemen and angry parents. The creature finally reaches a size that cannot be missed and everyone wonders how they will possibly stop it. The Blob is a cult classic horror from the 1950s during the era when monster movies were frequently sought out and in high demand. The concept of this film is simple yet effective. Having an alien creature that absorbs anything in its wake, consuming people and growing bigger and bigger with no way of stopping it, is a pretty frightening premise. The special effects in this film are quite amazing with the combination of practical and hand-drawn animation, which was used to bring the Blob creature to life. Some of my favourite scenes in the film centre around this alien creature showing how clever and adaptable it is to the situations it's put in. Whilst being chased by the monster in one scene, our protagonists, Steve and Jane, hide in a room and lock the door, only to later find out that it can fit under the door where it slowly begins to pass through. With no other way out, it makes for a terrifying sequence as the two are forced to stand and do nothing as it seeps through the gap. The monster would go on to display these qualities in a similar situation later on during arguably the most iconic scene where it attacks a movie theatre. It starts squeezing through a small space from the projector room into the packed cinema room with many unaware victims below. All the people eventually realise what is going on and start running out of the theatre as the blob grows exponentially, following everyone outside. This film features legendary actor Steve McQueen, in what was at the time, his debut feature film and a leading role at that, which would go on to sprout his acting career and fame. I thoroughly enjoyed him in this film as he made for a determined heroic character looking out for others and trying to do the right thing. The Blob was quite unlike any other monster movie of the decade since most of the films then ended with the creature being destroyed or killed however due to its indestructible nature, the Blob is only temporarily stopped, ending up being transported to a place it can supposedly never escape from. Filmed in colour, this flick utilises its bright tones well with the bright red jelly-like creature, which easily stands out, however, most of the film takes place during the night, so we don't get a great deal of beautiful colours on display, but the creature makes up for this. I quite liked that everyone was willing to help one another, in the end, to fight back against the monster, despite being previously denounced as a practical joke. Friends, family and strangers all chip in to defeat the behemoth showing how united we can all be when under a massive threat, no matter the danger. One of the downsides of this film is that has probably one of the most annoying child actors used in film history. His voice was incredibly annoying, with some truly bad acting that actually made me cringe. Overall, this is an excellent monster movie from the prime era of the sub-genre, which brought an actor to fame, had superb visual effects and showed an unstoppable creature unable of defeat, hammering home its frightening premise. This movie gives such a brilliant depiction of 1950s America for those looking for an authentic glimpse into the time period, which I found extremely fascinating. A cult classic that cannot be missed, especially with the whole film being free to watch on Youtube. Also, look out for the 1980s remake, The Blob (1988), which can be located on YouTube too.

Runtime: 1h 26m

Director: Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr., Russell S. Doughten Jr.

Genre: Horror / Sci-fi

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The Thing from Another World (1951)

When scientist Dr. Carrington reports a UFO near his North Pole research base, the Air Force sends in a team under Capt. Patrick Hendry to investigate. What they find is a wrecked spaceship and a humanoid creature frozen in the ice. They bring their discovery back to the remote arctic outpost, but Carrington and Hendry disagree over what to do with it. Meanwhile, the creature is accidentally thawed and begins wreaking havoc. Snowed in by a storm, the crew try to survive and hunt down the mysterious creature as it prowls the base. Producer Howard Hawks' adaptation of John Campbell's story of an arctic expedition that runs afoul of a blood-sucking alien, from his book 'Who Goes There?', is often credited with launching the 'evil monster tries to destroy humanity' films that were so widespread during the 1950s. I love this film and it is personally one of my favourites of the science fiction horrors of the 50s. Once the film begins it instantly has you hooked, never letting you go as it takes us along for the wild ride. The Thing has an exceptional story but what took me by surprise on my first viewing was the phenomenal set pieces which are so grand in scale and truly look believable. All the scenes of the North Pole base were genuinely so well made and felt very real as if we were actually in the Arctic. The scope of this film however really shines during the opening section of the film where we first see the crashed spacecraft. Although it is submerged fully in the ice with only a fin visible, once all the members of the expedition spread out to find out the shape of it, we see just how big the craft is. It is such a large scoped setting that makes for some iconic imagery of the team forming a circle only to realise it is a flying saucer and when they attempt to free it with explosives, the aftermath explosions were enormous. I had never seen anything quite as impressive. I think the choice to not show the creature straight away besides from some very close-up shots was very effective in building tension and allowing our imagination to run wild as to what it could look like or be. At times we only caught glimpses of a shadowy, tall figure roaming in the snow, which displayed its stature being much bigger than any regular person and its strength when battling against the huskies and members of the crew. The final reveal of the creature was a little disappointing, not looking so different to a regular human being but it didn't ruin the story or my enjoyment of the overall film. The biggest highlight of the entire feature had to be the action sequences. They were simply epic with some high stakes and a fantastic display of practical effects. This is especially seen in my favourite sequence (and arguably the most memorable in the whole film) when the monster breaks into the base with the crew waiting. It quickly turns into a battle with the crew throwing gasoline at the creature, and following it up with fire. We actually get to see the monster become completely engulfed in flames whilst continuing to swing at people, setting the surroundings alight, which must have been a dangerous piece to make with no injuries. It was an amazing scene with everyone continuously throwing flames as people are flung all over the place before the creature darts for a window, jumping through and sprinting off in the snow as the flames still flicker. Definitely my favourite part of the whole film. Another aspect I loved about the movie is that everyone gets along well and works together for the greater good in this fight, that is except for Dr. Carrington who believes the creature can teach humanity its secrets. It leads to some dangerous confrontations and many more issues to overcome. Overall, I adore this 50s sci-fi horror. So much excitement is packed in with some superb actors giving some of their finest performances, which brings us an experience like no other that can be enjoyed repeatedly. If you also enjoyed this frosty survival flick then why not check out the exceptionally frightening remake The Thing (1982) directed by John Carpenter, this version is just as brilliant yet even greater in both scope and special effects.

Runtime: 1h 27m

Director: Christian Nyby, Howard Hawks

Genre: Horror / Sci-fi

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