Favorite Films (lists up to participating site members)

[Mayerling]

It's funny, I have seen many people list Ten Rillington Place on their lists, and I must confess I have yet to see this film...not sure if it is available in America.. but I have to find this now.

I watched Island of Lost Souls the other night for the first time in years.. I forgot how much I adore that film ( even if Laughton, for the most part didn't seem to care) I only wish Lugosi had more scenes, he was fantastic in that film....which brings me to my next list.. how about favorite Bela Lugosi films...we have done other actors...so why not eh? this list is in order of year

1- the Thirteenth Chair- (1929) (Browning and Lugosi for the first time....also with Leila Hyams... a personal favorite of mine)
2- Dracula-(1931) (as if that isn't a given)
3- White Zombie-(1932) (Low budget horror was never as effective)
4- Island of Lost Souls (1932) (wish it were more)
5-The Black Cat- (1934)- ( probably the best of the Lugosi/Karloff films...not including Body Snatchers as Lugosi is only a bit part there..1st of the films Bela made called The Black Cat.. other one isn’t terrible but this one is a true classic.. possibly my favorite Lugosi film ever)
6- Mark of the Vampire- (1935)- ( Bela has fun with this role)
7- The Raven- (1935)- (not as strong as the Black Cat.. but fun to see Bela and Boris together)
8- Son of Frankenstein (1939)- ( Igor may be Bela's best performance in film..)
9- The Human Monster (the Dark Eyes of London)- (1939) (very well made British horror film...quite creepy to this day.. was the first film to receive an "H" rating in England)
10- The Wolf Man (1941)- (more for the film than Lugosi...but hey still he is in it)
11-The Body Snatcher- (1945) (sad to see Bela looking so weak..but great scene with Karloff to cap off their films together, just wish Bela won, like in the Black Cat)
12- Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) ( Bela gives it his all in his last Dracula role)
13- Glen or Glenda (1953) (love him or hate him,, Wood's films are not forgettable.. and again, as sick and frail as he was Lugosi gives it his all, and seems to be having fun)
14- Bride of the Monster- (1955) ( more Wood goodies.. and Bela gets to make a couple of great speeches.. gotta love his fighting with the octopus as well )
15- Plan 9 From outer Space (1959) ( of so most of the time it isn't Bela...but hey.. for the most part was his last film, and he is remembered for it by many people)

I could name quite a few more… as I am quite the Lugosi fan… but here is a start.. feel free to add some, or comment on ones on the list….maybe we can do Karloff next?

Steadmund Brand

Lugosi Films:

01) Dracula (1931)
02) Mark of the Vampire
03) White Zombie
04) The Black Cat (1934)
05) The Raven
06) Dark Eyes of London
07) The Green Ray
08) International House (a weakness here - it is one of the few comedies Bela made where he is not spoofing his villain characters)
09) Murders in the Rue Morgue
10) Black Friday (his role is not as big as in former films, but he does well as a gangster)
11) The Wolf Man (his character has almost no words of dialogue, and is not in the entire film - but the movie would not proceed without him).
12) Mystery of the Mary Celeste
13) The Body Snatcher (he's effective as "Joseph" the greedy but ultimately stupid servant)
14) Island of Lost Souls
15) Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
16) Son of Frankenstein
17) Glen or Glenda?
18) Bride of the Monster
19) Plan 9 From Outer Space

One misfire I never understood - his cameo as a commissar in "Ninotchka" It is interesting to see him in a Lubitsch film, and sharing a scene with Garbo, but he was funnier in a broadly comic reaction role like his "Russian General" in "International House" than in this film.

Jeff

[Mayerling]

Wow.. no Lugosi fans eh.. first list that didn't get a conversation going

Steadmund Brand

See below Steadman!

[Mayerling]

For Steadman,

Karloff films:

01) Frankenstein
02) Bride of Frankenstein
03) Son of Frankenstein
04) The Black Room
05) The Green Ray
06) The Black Cat
07) The Mummy
08) The Old Dark House
10) The Raven (1934)
11) The Raven (1963)
12) The Comedy of Terrors
13) Scarface
14) House of Rothschild
15) Five Star Final
16) The Unconquered
17) The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
18) The Body Snatcher
19) The Isle of the Dead
20) Bedlam
21) Targets
22) Black Friday
23) The Ghoul

There are others, but I cannot recall their names. One when he invents an artificial heart and one where he is brought back from the dead after he was executed for a crime he did not commit. But this really is an impressive list.

[GUT]

The serenity!

How lucky can one family be.

[Mayerling]

In both my Karloff and Lugosi lists I posted the film "The Green Ray". Actually that is an incorrect title. It is "The Invisible Ray", and is rather unique in that Lugosi is a nice scientist who tries to help Karloff (who has been fatally overdosed with a ultraviolet ray that allows him to kill people with a touch, and is driving him insane). It actually is a good film. "The Green Ray" was an 1880/81 novel by Jules Verne, which I have never read.

Jeff

[GUT]

The serenity!

"If there's anything Dad loved more than serenity, it was a big two stroke engine on full throttle! "

[GUT]

Hi all

Thanks GUT, I don't know The Castle so I googled it, I'm looking forward to getting that so yay!

The Dish, of course! I'm sure Sam Neill was in Sirens but for some reason he is not what I remember from that film.

Ausgirl.

"Aww, look mate, any chance we can see Brain Dead again?" Love that. I watched it on BBC2 which back in the day used to show Oz films, usually on Sunday nights about 11ish. I remember Thommo's closing speech in BM and was glued to the set, great actor.

You are right, the whole LOTR saga and Bombadil could fill a seperate thread. Some interesting theories online about Tom btw.

All the best.

If you liked the Dish, you'll love the Castle.

[martin wilson]

Hi GUT

It's on the list, in fact I think I'll put together my own Oz film collection.
There is a film called I think, Ozploitation about the crazy days of early Australian film, interesting that a big fan and commentator was one Quentin Tarantino......
I liked The Guard, with Brendan Gleeson, one of my favourite actors and another one who seems to be invisible when it comes to the glittering prizes.

"I must admit, the significance of the pot plant has me somewhat perplexed"

Watched Calvary over xmas, disturbing film, but recommended.

all the best.

[martin wilson]

Oh and I'm sorry Ausgirl BUT WHO THE HELL IS TAURIEL??

And as for Dain telling the elves to 'sod off' oh no no no no no........

All the best.

[Ausgirl]

Oh and I'm sorry Ausgirl BUT WHO THE HELL IS TAURIEL??

And as for Dain telling the elves to 'sod off' oh no no no no no........

All the best.

Well, SOMEbody has to be Aiden Turner's love interest! I was waving my hands in the air, frantically shouting, stalking Jackson on FB, hiring skywriters to write ~ ME! HEY, PICK ME! - AUSGIRL ~ over Auckland and Christchurch, just to hedge my bets, hoping we could keep it all, like, limited to just, you know, Aiden's trailer. For the sake of canonical purity, of course. But NO... they had to invent a whole new character.

Bloody New Zealanders.

[martin wilson]

Oh I see.

Reminds me of a mate at work, talking about LOTR he said every time Viggo Mortensen appeared his missus said 'shut up, my next husbands on'.

Actually apart from Bombadil and really just nitpicking I thought Jackson did a great job with LOTR, not so sure about The Hobbit trilogy.

I'm a saddo though, I spend too much time casting The Silmarillion, I think Fassbender for Melkor, Madds Mikkelson for Beren, not sure who could play Feanor yet.

All the best.

[Ausgirl]

Madds Mikkelson

Doesn't he do a bang-up job at being Hannibal?

I read the Silmarillion again just last year. It's become my favourite of all the Tolkien books, over the years.

Not having an off-topic LoTR spaz or anything, but I think Ungoliant and Tom Bombadil might be akin to each other in some vague regard. Opposing forces?

[martin wilson]

Hi Ausgirl

I like that idea, you obviously know your Tolkien, and the correspondence of good/evil characters.
I read a theory that Bombadil is the music of the Ainur as he was 'first of all' and the music was the first thing created, perhaps, but as the discord of Melkor came later in the music, I think he represents Arda unmarred, and Ungoliant represents the thought of Melkor, of darkness, a devourer of light. and 'the first' in her own respect.

Good Stuff, I'm off to read The Silmarrilion again.

All the best.

[Steadmund Brand]

For Steadman,

Karloff films:

01) Frankenstein
02) Bride of Frankenstein
03) Son of Frankenstein
04) The Black Room
05) The Green Ray
06) The Black Cat
07) The Mummy
08) The Old Dark House
10) The Raven (1934)
11) The Raven (1963)
12) The Comedy of Terrors
13) Scarface
14) House of Rothschild
15) Five Star Final
16) The Unconquered
17) The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
18) The Body Snatcher
19) The Isle of the Dead
20) Bedlam
21) Targets
22) Black Friday
23) The Ghoul

There are others, but I cannot recall their names. One when he invents an artificial heart and one where he is brought back from the dead after he was executed for a crime he did not commit. But this really is an impressive list.

Great List....the two films you couldnt think of are the Man They could not Hang and The Walking Dead... both great films!!! lets see.. my Karloff list ( Iput in order of release)

1-The Criminal Code-1930
2-Frankenstein-1931
3-Scarface-1932
4-The old Dark House-1932
5-The Mummy-1932
6-The Black Cat-1934
7-Bride of Frankenstein-1935
8- The Raven-1935
9-The Walking Dead-1936
10-The Invisable Ray-1936
11- Son of Frankenstein-1939
12- The Man they Could not Hang-1939
13-Tower Of London-1939 (Mord the Executioner may be my favorite karloff character!!)
14-Black Friday-1940
The Man With Nine Lives-1940
15- The Body Snatcher-1945
Isle of the Dead-1945
16-Bedlam-1946 (something about this film still creeps me out!!)
17-Black Sabbath-1963
18-The Terror-1963 (not great but fun film)
19-The Raven-1963 (wonderfully funny film.. the "duel" between Karloff and Price is classic)
20-How the Grinch Stole Christmas-1966 (made for TV sure.. but one of the few Holiday classics I adore)
21-Mad Monster Party-1967- (another personal favorite...deeply sentimental for me)
22- Targets-1968- I really wish this was his last...would have been a great ending for him

plus I love much of his Radio work as well.. but this is a film thread....Truth is I am a much bigger fan of Lugosi... but Karloff did have more good films

Steadmund Brand
6-

[Mayerling]

Great List....the two films you couldnt think of are the Man They could not Hang and The Walking Dead... both great films!!! lets see.. my Karloff list ( Iput in order of release)

1-The Criminal Code-1930
2-Frankenstein-1931
3-Scarface-1932
4-The old Dark House-1932
5-The Mummy-1932
6-The Black Cat-1934
7-Bride of Frankenstein-1935
8- The Raven-1935
9-The Walking Dead-1936
10-The Invisable Ray-1936
11- Son of Frankenstein-1939
12- The Man they Could not Hang-1939
13-Tower Of London-1939 (Mord the Executioner may be my favorite karloff character!!)
14-Black Friday-1940
The Man With Nine Lives-1940
15- The Body Snatcher-1945
Isle of the Dead-1945
16-Bedlam-1946 (something about this film still creeps me out!!)
17-Black Sabbath-1963
18-The Terror-1963 (not great but fun film)
19-The Raven-1963 (wonderfully funny film.. the "duel" between Karloff and Price is classic)
20-How the Grinch Stole Christmas-1966 (made for TV sure.. but one of the few Holiday classics I adore)
21-Mad Monster Party-1967- (another personal favorite...deeply sentimental for me)
22- Targets-1968- I really wish this was his last...would have been a great ending for him

plus I love much of his Radio work as well.. but this is a film thread....Truth is I am a much bigger fan of Lugosi... but Karloff did have more good films

Steadmund Brand
6-

Hi Steadmund,

Good list for Karloff too. He had one up on Lugosi in that he spoke with a really good English accent, and it may have opened up many roles that were beyond Bela's range. Boris often suggested this was the case, and Bela was not too happy about it. I forgot about "Tower of London", but even though Mord is a great character for Boris, the film's Rathbone's. My favorite bit in it deals with the wax figures he keeps regarding his various rivals and road blocks to the throne.

Actually Rathbone is worth a list of his own too:

1) David Copperfield
2) Anna Karenina
3) The Adventures of Robin Hood
4) Captain Blood
5) The Dawn Patrol (actually my favorite of Basil's conflict parts with Errol - he actually wins this one because of Errol and David Niven's antics)
6) Love From a Stranger (my first Agatha Christie based movie that I liked)
7) Kind Stranger
8) Tower of London
9) The Hound of the Baskervilles
10) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
11) Rhythm on the River (Basil looks at his normal aristocratic character and inverts it for laughs, aided by Oscar Levant)
12) Above Suspicion
13) Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
14) The Pearl of Death
15) The Scarlet Claw
16) The Black Cat (1941) - Interesting because while not loveable, Basil is not the villain and the villain turns out to be someone totally unexpected.
17) My Three Angels
18) The Court Jester
19) The Last Hurrah (my favorite moment - when Basil tells off John Carridine, nominally his ally in the fight against Spencer Tracy)
20) The Comedy of Terrors (it is fun seeing him against Vincent Price - "Who is that?!")
21) The Mark of Zorro (I almost forgot, he had to lose to Tyrone Power as much as he had to lose swordfights against Errol Flynn - and he knew he was a better fencer than either; in his memoirs he claims Danny Kaye, in The Court Jester, was his best opponent when Kaye goes beserk with his sword - Basil had to keep on his toes to keep up with Kaye at those moments!)