Happy Halloween!!!

SHMWAHAHAHAHAHAH!

When the usual load of halloween horror films hit the screens, I would be much more likely to be found curling up in bed with something like Bringing Up Baby (1938) to take away the scariness. I love thrillers and have quite a penchant for non-gruesome scary films but when things start getting to chopping off heads, or serial killers with graphic murder resumes, I find I'm much better off behind my sofa. But come halloween I try at least to go in for a little of the scary nonsense... But mainly Hitchcock thrillers. Here are some of my favourite halloween movies. "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!", "The Telltale Heart" and House On Haunted Hill (only a B-Picture, but it has Vincent price, and it's fun!). I've embedded the latter two in full, but for "The Great Pumpkin" there are only clips.

It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

{Found here}

The Telltale Heart, a surrealist animation of the classic horror story by Edgar Allan Poe narrated by James Mason,

and House On Haunted Hill (1959) starring Vincent Price.

An eccentric millionaire invites some of his colleagues to stay overnight at his mansion. If they survive they will receive $10,000... But will they survive?

Both are available in full on Youtube, so I thought it might be fun for you to take a look... If you dare... MWAHAHAHAHAH!!! (do you think I should stop the evil laugh? didn't think so... MWAHAHA! Sorry ;-D)

~Bette

His Kind of Woman (1951).

His Kind of Woman (1951).Cast: Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell. With supporting roles by: Vincent Price, Raymond Burr, and Charles McGraw. Directer: John Farrow.

Gangster Nick Ferraro, who has been living in Naples since his deportation from the United States, wants to return to the States to put his business back together. First he must change his identity. He and his partners pick out a gambler named Dan Milner, whose weight and height match Ferraro's. They offer him $50,000 to go to Mexico for a year, without revealing who is paying him. Down on his luck, Dan accepts partial payment and travels to Nogales, Mexico. While waiting for his plane, Dan meets Lenore Brent, an heiress and singer. To his surprise, he and Lenore board the same small plane, which Dan learns is headed for Morro's Lodge in Baja California. At the resort, owner José Morro asks Dan about himself, while Myron Winton, shares with him information about some of the lodge's other guests. Dan becomes concerned about Krafft and Thompson and confronts them, who assure him that he will find out more information from a man who is on his way to the lodge. The next day, Dan comes the conclusion that Lenore is having an affair with Mark. Lenore is really Liz Brady, who is posing as an heiress in order to marry Mark, who is separated from his wife Helen. In one of my favorite scenes of the movie, soft-hearted Dan helps Jennie's husband Milton beat Myron at poker. He then asks Morro about the man he is supposed to meet. Morro pretends that he does not know what he is talking about, then tries to discourage pilot, Bill Lusk, from landing at the resort, during a huge thunderstorm. The next day, Bill confesses to Dan that he is an undercover agent and informs Dan, that he has sold his identity to a gangster, who has hired Krafft, an ex-Nazi plastic surgeon, to change his face to look like his. You will have to watch to see who comes to Dan's rescue, you will be surprised.

This is a fun Noir/comedy/adventure with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell, beautifully teamed together. Vincent Price supplies many of the laughs and is a very interesting character in this film.
Video: Robert Mitchum's Studio Days Part 3 (about filming the movie His Kind of Woman(1952).



Charles McGraw, became popular in the film noirs during the late 1940s and 1950s. His gravelly voice and rugged looks was perfect in the noir genre and he performed in many roles as cop or gunman.

Introduced with William Conrad as the two hit men terrorizing a small town diner in the film The Killers(1946), McGraw's best known perform aces include: Roadblock(1951), in the noir "B" movie, The Narrow Margin (1952), Spartacus, Armored Car Robbery (1950) and A Boy and His Dog (1975).

The Bribe(1949). Story about love and temptation.

The Bribe (1949). Crime/film noir. Director: Robert Z. Leonard and written by Marguerite Roberts, based on a story written by Frederick Nebel. Cast: Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, and Vincent Price.

Rigby remembers, when his boss, Gibbs, first briefed him on how racketeers have been stealing war supplies and airplane motors headed Central America. Rigby, is told that the government suspects war veteran Tug.

After arriving in Carlota, Rigby, finds Tug's wife Elizabeth, singing at a nightclub and they become friends.



Soon, Rigby and Elizabeth fall in love, Tug is either too drunk or too busy to notice. One night, Rigby is approached by J. J. Bealer, a thief, who, offers him $10,000 to leave the island. Rigby rejects the bribe and begins to suspect Carwood, who is posing as a mine owner.

The next day, wanting to learn more about Carwood, Rigby joins him on a fishing trip. The fishing trip almost becomes fatal for Rigby when Carwood causes the fishing boat to lurch forward while Rigby is trying to bring in a huge Marlin. Rigby is falls into the water, the boatman, jumps into the water and saves him. Unfortunately, the boatman is killed by a shark while trying to swim back to the boat. While informing the boat mans father of his sons death. The father confirms Rigby's suspicions and volunteers to help Rigby with his investigation.

Rigby, finds himself torn between his love for Elizabeth and his investigation. He wants to save Elizabeth by accepting Bealer's bribe and leaving the island with her. Before Rigby can tell Elizabeth, Bealer informs Elizabeth, that her husband is a criminal and that Rigby is an investigator, who is going to put him in prison. Tug talks Elizabeth into drugging Rigby long enough to allow him to leave. Rigby loses consciousness after drinking a cocktail laced with a sedative. Will he come to in time to catch the smugglers?

This is the first time I have seen, THE BRIBE. I thought Laughton and Price gave the best performances.. My favorite part takes place at the end, which is exciting and visually awesome.