The 14 Greatest Horror Films Of The 1940s in Golden Age Horror Forum

0 Points

Forum Jump

The 14 Greatest Horror Films Of The 1940s

Author	Comment
jamesenstein31	The 14 Greatest Horror Films Of The 1940s	Lead	[-]
Apr 5 12 12:15 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I just made a blog entry on the best horror films of the "silver age" of horror, as I had done in the past with the 30s and the silent era. Not just is this a way for some self promotion, but it's a pretty fun topic. What do you think were the best? Do you agree with my choices? Disagree? What would you add? It's not surprising that so few Universal horrors made it for the decade, though if this was extended by two, I would have easily added some enjoyable Bs from that studio. I'm sure there's a few here that would include FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN. I'm partial to THE MAD GHOUL, myself http://monstermania-batcat31.blogspot.com/2012/04/silver-horrors-13-greatest-horror-films.html Last Edited By: jamesenstein31 Apr 5 12 4:43 PM. Edited 1 time.
	Remove this ad
Rick		#1	[-]
Apr 5 12 12:22 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Excellent list. I can't really quibble. Well, not much anyway. Only your 13th choice, BLUEBEARD, would definitely not make my list. I'd take HANGOVER SQUARE, STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP, SON OF DRACULA, and, if you'd consider them horror films, both BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER -- all of those -- long before I'd take BLUEBEARD. Your first 12, though, are aces with me.
jamesenstein31		#2	[-]
Apr 5 12 12:28 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Rick wrote: Excellent list. I can't really quibble. Well, not much anyway. Only your 13th choice, BLUEBEARD, would definitely not make my list. I'd take HANGOVER SQUARE, STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP, SON OF DRACULA, and, if you'd consider them horror films, both BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER -- all of those -- long before I'd take BLUEBEARD. Your first 12, though, are aces with me. I was so on the fence about HANGOVER SQUARE, because that is such an excellent film, but I had such a difficult time calling it a horror film. I feel a tad guilty about that one, I confess. STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP could easily swap with BLUEBEARD, because that's a highly stylish film. And SON OF DRACULA, I honestly forgot. That was a TERRIFIC horror/noir and deserves more love. That one genuinely shocked me. I first saw it as a kid, during my introduction to monsters, and it was certainly over my head. I re-discovered it years later and found it to be a gem. Perhaps, I will have to edit that list!
Frankensteinhead		#3	[-]
Apr 5 12 1:16 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	That is a great list and SON OF DRACULA belongs on it if only because of Robert Siodmaks involvement, but I don't know what you'd remove to accomodate it. Perhaps ISLE OF THE DEAD,simply because you've already got the Val Lewton movies so well represented. I wouldn't take out Bluebeard; you have to have an Ulmer in there!
bela lugosi		#4	[-]
Apr 5 12 3:15 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Great list, thanks!
jamesenstein31		#5	[-]
Apr 5 12 4:44 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I revised the list. I think I may have solved the problem
Frankensteinhead		#6	[-]
Apr 5 12 6:57 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I really enjoyed your blog and I thought it was very well written and informative, but I would specify that it was a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress award that Miss Lansbury won for PODG. As worde it looks like your saying that she won the Academy Award. I'm an Oscar nerd so please forgive me.
jamesenstein31		#7	[-]
Apr 5 12 7:35 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Frankensteinhead wrote: I really enjoyed your blog and I thought it was very well written and informative, but I would specify that it was a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress award that Miss Lansbury won for PODG. As worde it looks like your saying that she won the Academy Award. I'm an Oscar nerd so please forgive me. I will certainly doctor that! Thank you, for the correction!
atenolol		#8	[-]
Apr 7 12 1:51 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I agreed pretty much with your thirties list. This one I would quibble with a bit. The Body Snatcher would be in first place for me, ahead of The Wolf Man and Cat People. I would also move Son of Dracula up quite a bit, while admitting the problems with Chaney in this role. Dead of Night I find erratic, but it has a couple of strong segments and a great ending. I would drop it a bit. The Uninvited I find overrated. What is left off which should be there. The Beast With Five Fingers. Yes, it has all sorts of weaknesses, and a cop out ending, but the creepy parts are creepy enough to earn it a place for me. Beauty and the Beast would rank ahead of all these films for me, but as the Beast is not really threatening, I concede that it falls outside of horror. **Stranger on the Third Floor would probably not be considered a horror film by most, but Lorre's performance creeps me out more than almost anything else in this decade and so I would find a place for it.
Rick		#9	[-]
Apr 7 12 3:19 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Atenolol, I didn't even consider the rankings, simply what movies were on the list or weren't. Looking at the rankings, though, I'd certainly, absolutely, totally agree with THE BODY SNATCHER at No. 1. After that, I dunno, I'd have to think about it (and thinking hurts so much.) I would also move BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ahead of all of them (except THE BODY SNATCHER) if it were included.
jamesenstein31		#10	[-]
Apr 7 12 4:32 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Rick wrote: Atenolol, I didn't even consider the rankings, simply what movies were on the list or weren't. Looking at the rankings, though, I'd certainly, absolutely, totally agree with THE BODY SNATCHER at No. 1. After that, I dunno, I'd have to think about it (and thinking hurts so much.) I would also move BEAUTY AND THE BEAST ahead of all of them (except THE BODY SNATCHER) if it were included. THE BODY SNATCHER is my favorite horror film of the 1940s, but I don't think it had the impact of THE WOLF MAN. In terms of what film has the best performance, i'd say THE BODY SNATCHER, and i'm in that group that thinks he should have gotten an Oscar nod. I do think I should change up the order some, as I understand it, though many were ranked with impact and influence included. Also, can't agree with THE UNINVITED. If anything, I think it's underrated. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST would make my list of the top 100 best movies, but it's purely a fantasy and not a horror film. Similarily, when I did my silent movies list(which I will post soon) I did not include METROPOLIS for those very reasons. It's a tough genre to define, I know, but that one is pretty easy for me. BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS was a solid nominee. Where the hell is that DVD at? I want to see Peter Lorre go bonkers again!
	Remove this ad
bela lugosi		#11	[-]
Apr 7 12 5:06 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	James, I totally agree with you about THE WOLF MAN being more important than THE BODY SNATCHER, but then again, I am not a fan of the latter film, at all, and feel it's overrated, even though it has a great cast and director and producer. I'm a Val Lewton fan by far, but feel he has many films better than this one. Here's the thing. If you are going to include M on the 30's list (a fine one indeed, but more than the rankings is your great narrative!), then HANGOVER SQUARE should not be "on the fence" but squarely on the list. Just my .02.
jamesenstein31		#12	[-]
Apr 7 12 8:11 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	bela lugosi wrote: James, I totally agree with you about THE WOLF MAN being more important than THE BODY SNATCHER, but then again, I am not a fan of the latter film, at all, and feel it's overrated, even though it has a great cast and director and producer. I'm a Val Lewton fan by far, but feel he has many films better than this one. Here's the thing. If you are going to include M on the 30's list (a fine one indeed, but more than the rankings is your great narrative!), then HANGOVER SQUARE should not be "on the fence" but squarely on the list. Just my .02. Thanks, Bela! I don't know what it is about HANGOVER SQUARE. Perhaps, this list should be a top 15 as well? I'm strongly considering it. Looking over the 40s, a decade I largely regarded as good, but not great, allowed me to discover several diamonds in the rough. It really was a fine decade, wasn't it?
Geezermonster		#13	[-]
Apr 8 12 11:37 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I would perhaps consider THE MUMMY'S HAND because it re-introduced the living mummy (Kharis) as an monster archetype of the 1940s, followed up by the Chaney Kharis flicks and by A & C MEET THE MUMMY.
dcwillis9		#14	[-]
Apr 9 12 12:53 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	A big Yes! to Dead of Night & The Uninvited. But I'm going to combine this thread idea with one on the Off Topic section, & cite 14 Little Forties Horror Movies Which Deserve a Big Hand. (A tip of the hat to Big Hand for the Little Lady) None of these might make a Top 14 "A" Films for the decade, but they are small gems or near-gems.... ("Little Forties"?) Strangler of the Swamp (altho this might actually be Top 14 Big Film material) The Devil Commands (ditto) Dead Men Tell (Chan) Face behind the Mask (semi-horror) Devil Bat The Mad Ghoul The Falcon & the Coeds (spooky if not quite horrific) Spooks Run Wild Lucky Ghost (not for the comedy, just the ghost stuff, tho MantanM is a pleasant presence) Undying Monster Return of the Vampire Voodoo Man Shadows in the Night Fog Island I see a possible problem above--we seem to be combining semi-serious movies with pure camp titles--apples & oranges & bananas. No bunny's perfect (to adapt the current Easter cuteness) And yes Devil Commands might bust into the "A" division.... I also see I forgot The Vampire's Ghost, darnit.... Last Edited By: dcwillis9 Apr 10 12 12:13 AM. Edited 1 times.
jamesenstein31		#15	[-]
Apr 10 12 2:31 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP could be interchangeable with a few on this list. It deserves way more praise. I'm very fond of THE MUMMY'S HAND and consider it a first-rate monster movie. It was a solid runner-up, for sure. Several good nominees here, I certainly enjoyed them all I wish THE VAMPIRE'S GHOST wasn't as obscure, considering there is some impressive stuff there.
dcwillis9		#16	[-]
Apr 11 12 12:10 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	And a pretty fine one-two punch for John Abbott, as Fallon in "Ghost" & as the infuriatingly self-centered Fairlie in "Woman in White", a few years later....
jamesenstein31		#17	[-]
Apr 11 12 4:04 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	dcwillis9 wrote: And a pretty fine one-two punch for John Abbott, as Fallon in "Ghost" & as the infuriatingly self-centered Fairlie in "Woman in White", a few years later....
Geezermonster		#18	[-]
Apr 13 12 11:39 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I would agree with dc that RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE is a good candidate, especially when compared to a lesser Lewton like ISLE OF THE DEAD.
Rick		#19	[-]
Apr 14 12 12:01 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I dearly love RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE. It was the first real, non-comic horror film I ever saw. But, personally, I think there's no way it compares with ISLE OF THE DEAD. I know lots of folk consider ISLE as lesser Lewton, but not me. I think it's a great horror film and would rank second or third on my Lewton list.
dcwillis9		#20	[-]
Apr 14 12 12:33 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I love to hear love for Isle of the Dead!
	Remove this ad

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Add Reply

Yuku free message boards

The 14 Greatest Horror Films Of The 1940s

The 14 Greatest Horror Films Of The 1940s