1953 Directed by André De Toth
A New York sculptor who opens a wax museum to showcase the likenesses of famous historical figures runs into trouble with his business partner, who demands that the exhibits become more extreme in order to increase profits.
Museu de Cera, The Wax Works, L'homme au masque de cire, Paniek in het wasmuseum, Terror en el museo de cera, Das Kabinett des Professor Bondi, Къщата на восъчните фигури, Vokskabinettet, Los crímenes del museo de cera, Vahakabinetti, Kerines maskes, Panoptikum - A viaszbabák háza, La maschera di cera, Niku no rouningyou, De man met de wassen beelden, Gabinet figur woskowych, Máscaras de Cera, Muzeul figurilor de ceara, Kuća od voska, Vaxkabinettet, Музей восковых фигур, Canavarlar Sarayi
Enjoyable career revitalizer for Price but not one of my go to watches when it comes to his huge catalogue of macabre, still though, House of Wax has a lot going for it—nice camera work, obviously amazing setting, shadowy street chases, long takes, and the great ending reveal that we all know is coming. Plus the cultural significance of 3D and what this meant for career of Vincent Price.
Speaking of the third dimension, the fact that this was filmed in 3D by a man who was blind in one eye fascinates me, as does young Charles Bronson’s muscles and the future Morticia Addams.
Creepy, stately, but remarkably spry for a mid-century horror film, Andre De Toth's "House of Wax" begins with bang before settling into drier yet engrossing horror beats. Starring Vincent Price as a sculptor of wax figures, the film is a capable thriller that may not have a lot of narrative depth but makes up for that with atmosphere, entertainment value, and a mostly committed tone.
Its plot revolving around revenge, sinister sculptors, and wax-dipped corpses, "House of Wax" takes its color-by-numbers story and elevates it with Price's robust magnetism and a spirited energy. The narrative does not offer much beyond man-is-wronged and man-seeks-vengeance plot points, but it serves as a sturdy foundation for wax museum mayhem.
Price is entertaining, but…
A remake of Mystery of the Wax Museum, I do prefer Mystery more, I really laughed along with the female reporter. Here it follows along almost the same but without that quirk.
It is quite alarming watching wax figures melting, eyes popping out, heads dropping off, although a melted, twisted up Price is just as alarming.
Cathy I adored she was like a blonde Betty Boop, and my face when I seen her pull that corset tighter and tighter 😱. They wrote her character well, you can see a glimpse of Morticia with her macabre sense of humor:-
"Wasn't that the man you were going to marry?",
"yes, but he hung himself instead"...giggles!
The paddle ball show, can you imagine being hired to paddle ball for a big event now? They need to bring that back.
Everything else plays out the same as I remember Mystery, did I say I liked Mystery better?
This was fun! But, really, any movie with Vincent Price is going to be pretty ok with me.
Here he plays a wax sculptor who is killed in a fire and mysteriously returns to reopen a new wax museum where the exhibits bear a striking resemblance to recently deceased locals! It’s really not hard to see where the plot is going from the beginning but it’s also not trying to hide anything...and does manage a good surprise or two in spite of that predictability...so I guess you probably won’t see everything coming. Even if you do, it’s still a lot of fun. I should add that I have seen the remake (with a certain Paris Hilton) a few times so…
To you they are wax, but to me their creator, they live and breathe.
-Professor Henry Jarrod
Here's a film that can be used as a huge bullet point for the career of Vincent Price. He was already an established actor with a 15 year career who had even appeared in a couple of horror films already, but House of Wax is the crossroad in his career where it changed course from being a character actor on his way to becoming a horror icon.
It's not just the fact that he was put in the lead of a horror film, but he was put in the lead of a gorgeous horror production with huge sets, great cinematography with not only…
“Once in his lifetime, every artist feels the hand of God, and creates something that comes alive.”
HoopTober 5.0 - Film #12
Task: a film before the 1970’s
There were parts I definitely liked, but overall I couldn’t help but find the film slightly boring, and I wish I would’ve found this more enjoyable. I was really tired when I started watching this, yet I somehow didn’t fall asleep, so I guess that has to count for something. I also haven’t seen the remake so I don’t have any comment on that.
“Everything I ever loved has been taken away from me, but not you, my Marie Antoinette, for I will give you eternal life.”
I am curious about the 3D though, and would be willing to rewatch this one day with the 3D Blu-ray. It would be interesting to watch this the way it was intended.
Part proto-slasher, part mystery and all total creepfest.
So glad I finally saw this, just another gem in Vincent Price's exemplary filmography. He's always great, but here he shows his range, something that casual fans probably never notice.
Add in some gruesome makeup effects and the macabre story, and House of Wax is one of the better 50s horror films.
This probably isn't good, but I can't see Vincent Price without seeing Bill Hader...
Typical slow burn (pun not intended) of the horror movies from this era. Beautiful imagery and use of space.
#Hooptober 6.0
Movie 2/31
6 decades - 50's
Az elolvadó arcok nem a Raiders of the Los Ark óta rémisztőek.
I think had they stuck with Vincent Price's perspective through the entire film this could be one of my favorites of its kind. Still some good stuff in here but his arc in the beginning and end are definitely the highlights.
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