The Film Detective Archives refurbishes the forgotten 1959 film version of The Bat, an adaptation of a play by Depression era mystery writer Mary Roberts Rhinehart (co-written with Avery Hopwood in 1920), a woman referred to as the American Agatha Christie. A previous film version was made in 1926 by Roland West, followed by a 1930 sequel. Concerning a criminal who dresses in a bat costume and terrorizes people while committing crimes, Rhinehart’s character was the basis for American comic book artist Bob Kane’s creation of Batman. Thus, it’s an intriguing ‘origin’ property for several reasons. This particular version, which stands as the last official directorial credit of writer and B-film director Crane Wilbur, is also rather entertaining thanks to its two headlining stars, the inimitable Vincent Price and a rare leading role for the superb character actress, Agnes Moorehead.
Murder mystery writer Cornelia van Gorder (Moorehead) rents an isolated mansion...
Murder mystery writer Cornelia van Gorder (Moorehead) rents an isolated mansion...
- 12/29/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Greta Garbo movie 'The Kiss.' Greta Garbo movies on TCM Greta Garbo, a rarity among silent era movie stars, is Turner Classic Movies' “Summer Under the Stars” performer today, Aug. 26, '15. Now, why would Garbo be considered a silent era rarity? Well, certainly not because she easily made the transition to sound, remaining a major star for another decade. Think Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, William Powell, Fay Wray, Marie Dressler, Wallace Beery, John Barrymore, Warner Baxter, Janet Gaynor, Constance Bennett, etc. And so much for all the stories about actors with foreign accents being unable to maintain their Hollywood stardom following the advent of sound motion pictures. A Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer star, Garbo was no major exception to the supposed rule. Mexican Ramon Novarro, another MGM star, also made an easy transition to sound, and so did fellow Mexicans Lupe Velez and Dolores del Rio, in addition to the very British...
- 8/27/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Welcome to Halloween 1987- it’s time to watch the Wnuf nightly news with Gavin Gordon (Richard Cutting) and Deborah Merritt (Leanna Chamish), who are bringing us news highlights and some of their very best ghoulish gab because after all, it’s Halloween.
After Gavin and Deborah are done with the news, they toss the broadcast over to field reporter Frank Stewart (Paul Fahrenkopf), who is about to lead a camera crew, a team of psychics and their viewers into the notorious Webber House where years before a young man named Donald went on a killing spree murdering both of his parents in what seemed to be part an occult ritual.
Things begin harmlessly enough for Frank and his ragtag team of paranormal investigators as they search the creepy house looking for answers, but when they begin to suspect they’re not alone, that’s when the Wnuf Halloween Special...
After Gavin and Deborah are done with the news, they toss the broadcast over to field reporter Frank Stewart (Paul Fahrenkopf), who is about to lead a camera crew, a team of psychics and their viewers into the notorious Webber House where years before a young man named Donald went on a killing spree murdering both of his parents in what seemed to be part an occult ritual.
Things begin harmlessly enough for Frank and his ragtag team of paranormal investigators as they search the creepy house looking for answers, but when they begin to suspect they’re not alone, that’s when the Wnuf Halloween Special...
- 3/3/2014
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
If you've never seen The Bat before, then we can promise you're in for a treat. If you have seen the flick, we can also promise you've never seen it quite like this! Read on for details.
From the Press Release
Mystery, murder, and mayhem take flight in The Bat – restored and in HD for the first time ever – debuting on Turner Classic Movies October 24 and DVD November 12 from Film Chest Media Group. Featuring an all-star cast, this suspenseful cult favorite from 1959 will keep you on the edge of your seat!
In The Bat, mystery writer Cornelia van Gorder (Agnes Moorehead - TV’s "Bewitched"; Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte; Citizen Kane) resides in a town terrorized by a mysterious murderer known only as “The Bat,” said to be a man with no face who kills women at night by ripping out their throats with steel claws.
Breaking into Cornelia’s countryside home one night,...
From the Press Release
Mystery, murder, and mayhem take flight in The Bat – restored and in HD for the first time ever – debuting on Turner Classic Movies October 24 and DVD November 12 from Film Chest Media Group. Featuring an all-star cast, this suspenseful cult favorite from 1959 will keep you on the edge of your seat!
In The Bat, mystery writer Cornelia van Gorder (Agnes Moorehead - TV’s "Bewitched"; Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte; Citizen Kane) resides in a town terrorized by a mysterious murderer known only as “The Bat,” said to be a man with no face who kills women at night by ripping out their throats with steel claws.
Breaking into Cornelia’s countryside home one night,...
- 10/24/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Joan Fontaine movies: ‘This Above All,’ ‘Letter from an Unknown Woman’ (photo: Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine in ‘Suspicion’ publicity image) (See previous post: “Joan Fontaine Today.”) Also tonight on Turner Classic Movies, Joan Fontaine can be seen in today’s lone TCM premiere, the flag-waving 20th Century Fox release The Above All (1942), with Fontaine as an aristocratic (but socially conscious) English Rose named Prudence Cathaway (Fontaine was born to British parents in Japan) and Fox’s top male star, Tyrone Power, as her Awol romantic interest. This Above All was directed by Anatole Litvak, who would guide Olivia de Havilland in the major box-office hit The Snake Pit (1948), which earned her a Best Actress Oscar nod. In Max Ophüls’ darkly romantic Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948), Fontaine delivers not only what is probably the greatest performance of her career, but also one of the greatest movie performances ever. Letter from an Unknown Woman...
- 8/6/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
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