El caserón de las sombras

Produccion: Carl Laemmle Jr. (Producer)

Guion: Benn W. Levy (Screenplay)

Musica: David Broekman (Original Music Composer)

Fotografia: Arthur Edeson (Director of Photography)

Un grupo de personas, debido a un violento aguacero, se ve obligado a refugiarse en una casa aislada y de aspecto lúgubre; también los inquilinos de la vivienda son bastante extraños: hay un mayordomo masivo y semi-deformado y dos ancianos, hermano y hermana, que parecen haber perdido el juicio. Pero mucho más horribles son los secretos que esconde esa casa… Una de las primeras películas dedicadas a las "casas malditas" y también uno de los primeros horrores de la historia del cine. Dirigida magistralmente por James Whale e interpretada por el ícono del horror de los años treinta Boris Karloff (que aparece en el papel del mayordomo) "The old dark house" es sin duda una de las mejores producciones de la filmografía de terror de esos años. El uso de luces tenues (velas o pequeñas luces) y juegos de sombras logran infundir suspenso a la película, si a esto añades una serie de personajes misteriosos y lúgubres (el terrible mayordomo Karloff, la vieja bruja, el loco encerrado en el último piso) entenderás por qué esta película logra infundir miedo aún hoy. Para redescubrir, aunque bastante difícil de encontrar.

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.

Directores

Reparto

Equipo

RESEÑAS (1)

TAMBIÉN PODRÍA GUSTARTE

Ballata Macabra - Burnt Offerings

La Tomba di Ligeia

Willard e i Topi

RESEÑAS DE LA COMUNIDAD (2)

EL CASERÓN DE LAS SOMBRAS