Day 10: It Came From Outer Space (1953)
Posted in2016 31 Days of Horror Classics

Day 10: It Came From Outer Space (1953)

Welcome back! We're up to Day 10, and today we're talking about the 1953 Sci-Fi classic It Came From Outer Space, starring Barbara Rush and Richard Carlson. I'm sorry to say it, but I really didn't enjoy this movie very much. It is a combination of all the worst aspects of '50s movies: it's supremely cheesy, xenophobic, flimsy in plot, and just plain boring. It isn't horrible, or even BAD, necessarily...but it definitely does not stand the test of time. I fell asleep at least twice while watching, and then had to rewind to be sure I hadn't missed anything. Spoiler alert: I hadn't. It might be…
Day 9: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
Posted in2016 31 Days of Horror Classics

Day 9: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

It's Day 9 of 31 Days of Horror and we're talking about The Picture of Dorian Gray from 1945. I'm sure it would pain Mark to know this, but I must confess that I have never read the book by Oscar Wilde. I'm sure it would also pain Kelley to know this, but I must confess that I have never seen any cinematic adaptation of it, of which there have been quite a few. Now, that doesn't mean I'm completely ignorant of the subject. This particular piece of literature has become so ingrained in pop culture that it was even…
Day 8: The Uninvited (1944)
Posted in2016 31 Days of Horror Classics

Day 8: The Uninvited (1944)

Day 8 of our 31 Days of Horror series brings us a stylish, well-made ghost thriller in 1944's The Uninvited. The film stars Ray Milland (Dial M For Murder), Ruth Hussey (The Philadelphia Story), and also features a lovely breakout performance by Gail Russell. The Uninvited is an interesting film to review, because it isn't quite what I was expecting. It is eerie and suspenseful, yes, but it is also...charming? It's unlike any horror movie I've ever seen, in that it fluctuates between the serious and the lighthearted at the drop of a hat. More importantly, it does this successfully. I admit,…