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Ron Miller's DARK CORRIDORS VOL. 10, No. 22 |
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MY ULTIMATE LIST OF COLLECTIBLE HORROR FILMS
made by the directors of "Cimarron" and "King Kong," now believed lost At right, Erich von Stroheim in Republic's 1944 "The Lady and the Monster," the first film version of Curt Siodmak's "Donovan's Brain." |
These elusive films would
enrich any collection
of TheColumnists.com
In this day of immediate internet contacts and ongoing search efforts by groups and individuals striving to find "lost" films, there are still a number of elusive titles that may be out there somewhere, just tantalizingly out of reach.
In recent years, I've tracked down a number of horror and science fiction films that had never been made available on video, but are now commonly found. Among them are "The Man in Half Moon Street" (Paramount, 1944); "Among the Living" (Paramount, 1941) and Arch Obeler's "Five" (Columbia, 1951). The studios are now combing their inventory and making lots of the more obscure titles available in boxed sets.
But some of the rarest titles still await either restoration or the boldness of someone to suggest their release would be commercially viable. Here are some of the ones I most want to see before they wheel me away to the nursing home:
. "The Unknown Purple" (1923) is a silent film in which an inventor creates an invisibility jacket that hides him in a cone of purple light, allowing him to carry out his plan of vengeance. I believe this film only exists in a badly-damaged version that's missing much footage.
. "The Terror" (First National, 1928) was the second talking picture released by sound pioneers Warner Brothers. Based on an Edgar Wallace story, it's about an organ-playing maniac who goes on a killing spree in a British inn. Starring May McAvoy, Edward Everett Horton. I believe this still exists, but perhaps is so creaky and old that the feeling is nobody would want to see it now. However, it was a big box office hit in its day.
. "The Monkey's Paw" (RKO, 1933) was co-directed by Wesley Ruggles, who made the 1931 Oscar-winning best picture "Cimarron," and Ernest B. Schoedsack, who directed the original 1933 "King Kong." Based on the famous W.W. Jacobs short story, it involves a couple who obtain a preserved monkey's paw that has the power to grant them three wishes. The final wish, as usual, is to bring back to life their dead son--with all the imagined consequences. Remembered reverently by some, this film is now believed to be lost.
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1945 serial "The Monster and the Ape." |
. "Double Door" (Paramount, 1934) was based on a stage play and deals with two obsessive women who threaten to use the secret torture chamber in their ancient mansion. Features Anne Revere, who won the supporting actress Oscar in 1945 for her performance as Elizabeth Taylor's mother in "National Velvet," in her film debut as one of the nasty ladies. Some accounts say this film isn't what it's cracked up to be, but I believe it's still in the vaults and surely will be released some day.
. "The Vanishing Shadow" (Universal, 1934) is a serial in which Onslow Stevens, the mad doctor of 1945's "The House of Dracula," seeks revenge on people who hounded his father to death. He utilizes a robot and various other sinister weapons. Long thought to be lost, I hear this serial is now being reconstructed and may be available one of these days.
. "The Lady and the Monster" (Republic, 1944) is the first version of Curt Siodmak's novel "Donovan's Brain" about scientists who keep a vengeful tycoon's brain alive after he is killed in an accident, but soon start to be influenced by the brain's strong powers. Former Czech ice-skater Vera Ralston, who was the wife of Republic Pres. Herbert J. Yates, was the leading lady and the hero was Richard Arlen, who worked alongside mad scientist Erich von Stroheim. I saw this in my youth and thought it was quite good, but it has not been available since the film was remade as "Donovan's Brain," starring Lew Ayres and Nancy Davis, who became Nancy Reagan after her marriage to Ronald Reagan.
. "The Monster and the Ape" (Columbia, 1945) is a serial in which villainous George Macready starts a reign of terror with the robot he steals from inventor Ralph Morgan, along with a large gorilla named Thor. I believe this serial still exists in good shape, but just hasn't been released to home video yet.
These days I'm in the positive frame of mind to believe that almost everything is bound to find its way into my film collection if I live long enough, but these films have eluded me for a long, long time already, so I'm not counting on any miracles.
©2009 by Ron Miller. This column first posted May 18, 2009.
Ron
Miller is a former nationally syndicated television columnist
and the author of "Mystery! A Celebration," the official
companion book to PBS' "Mystery!" series. He currently
writes about television mysteries for MYSTERY SCENE magazine.
You can comment on this column online. Please address your message to either "The Editors" orRon Miller . To send an email, click here and don't forget to mention Ron's name: talkback@thecolumnists.com
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