Une soirée étrange

Production: Carl Laemmle Jr. (Producer)

Scenario: Benn W. Levy (Screenplay)

Musique: David Broekman (Original Music Composer)

Photographie: Arthur Edeson (Director of Photography)

Un groupe de personnes, à cause d'un violent orage, est contraint de se réfugier dans une maison isolée et de sinistre apparence ; les habitants de l'habitation sont également plutôt étranges : il y a un majordome massif et semi-déformé et deux personnes âgées, frère et sœur, qui semblent avoir perdu la raison. Mais bien plus horribles sont les secrets que cache cette maison… L'une des premières pellicules consacrées aux "maisons maudites" et aussi l'un des premiers films d'horreur de l'histoire du cinéma. Magnifiquement réalisé par James Whale et interprété par l'icône des films d'horreur des années trente Boris Karloff (qui apparaît dans le rôle du majordome) "The old dark house" est certainement l'un des meilleurs produits de la filmographie de l'horreur de ces années. L'utilisation de lumières tamisées (bougies ou petites lumières) et de jeux d'ombres parviennent à infuser du suspense au film, si à cela vous ajoutez une série de personnages mystérieux et lugubres (le terrible majordome Karloff, la vieille sorcière, le fou enfermé au dernier étage) vous comprendrez pourquoi ce film parvient à inspirer la peur encore aujourd'hui. À redécouvrir, même si plutôt difficile à trouver.

Beware The Night.

As a violent storm rages, five travellers in a remote part of Wales take refuge at a creepy looking mansion that's home to the "odd" Femm family...

Weird, exciting and positively funny haunted house film with a top cast that's directed by one of Horror's greatest directors, James Whale. Based loosely around J.B. Priestley's novel "Benighted", the piece is further boosted by excellent camera work from Arthur Edeson and a screenplay that positively zips with memorable moments. Upon release in America the film was poorly received, yet unsurprisingly given it's British dryness, it was well liked in Britain. Even spawning an imitation in the form of The Ghoul, with both Boris Karloff and the irrepressible Ernest Thesiger again starring.

The Old Dark House got a reissue in the late 30s after the Horror genre had been reinvigorated by the likes of King Kong, but sadly it fell off the radar once the rights had reverted to Priestley. The film then appeared to be lost for many many years until Curtis Harrington (director of such TV Horror fare like Killer Bees) found a print in the archives in 1968, and thankfully got the funding to have the film restored and preserved. Thus now, and as far from perfect as the print is, the piece can be enjoyed by anyone with a bent for such a unique blend of Horror & Comedy.

You have to be prepared for its kooky nature to truly enjoy the experience, but all being well The Old Dark House will continue to garner new fans with each passing year. The supreme director and marvellous cast deserve that at least. 8/10

James Whale really did put together an excellent cast for this comic horror film. On a foul night; five stranded travellers seek shelter in a creepy old Welsh manor house - occupied by the even creepier "Femm" family and their almost anthropoid servant "Morgan" (Boris Karloff). As the evening progresses, lots of drink is taken and we meet the servant's pyromaniac brother and mayhem ensues. There are super performances from Melvyn Douglas, Ernest Thesiger and Raymond Massey with Eva Moore as the horrid "Rebecca" and a fantastically over-the-top Charles Laughton as "Sir William Porterhouse". The sets are a bit on the basic side and the lighting could have done with some more wattage, but it is all eerily directed with a plenty of wit and charm - well worth a watch.

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CRITIQUES (1)

VOUS POURRIEZ AUSSI AIMER

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La Tomba di Ligeia

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UNE SOIRÉE ÉTRANGE