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In 1931, Universal Studios created it’s stable of monsters. Dracula, was the first. It is based on a the Bram Stoker novel. The script of the film is based on the stage play. Bela Lugosi, played the lead for three years. He made a comfortable transition to the big screen. He became famous by playing […]

The most memorable thing about The Good The Bad and The Ugly, is it’s theme. It was written by Ennio Morricone. He composed the soundtracks for Sergio Leone’s previous westerns, A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and For a Few Dollars More (1965). Morricone was friends with Leone and composed the western soundtracks for him. It

Billy Wilder became known for making comedies, like The Seven Year Itch and The Apartment. He became famous before the comedies, for making serious films. One of Wilder’s most famous movies, is Sunset Blvd. He gives a lesson in camerawork. The shots range from far away, to extreme closeups. The majority of the film, takes

Cary Grant, was considered a romantic lead, in 1938. After appearing in Bringing Up Baby, his status changed. He is terrific as paleontologist, David Huxley. Grant’s performance is helped by Katherine Hepburn as Susan Vance. Hepburn, had before this movie, only appeared in serious films. She was a little hesitant, but was helped along by

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote many books. Some, like Treasure Island, became classics, that were made into films. One of his most famous, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has several film versions. This one, with Frederic March, as Dr. Jekyll, has it’s merits. The acting of March, as the kindly Jekyll and

Acting is a challenge. There can be nothing more challenging than playing a hero. Tyrone Power plays the avenger in black, in Old California. He gives hope to the people, and puts fear in the bad guys by carving his Z with his sword. Tyrone Power does well playing the dual role of Zorro and

Late Spring is a tome to the Japanese family. It is Japanese director Ozu’s look, at a 27 year old woman’s point of view on family structure. Setsuko Hara, gives a marvelous performance as Noriko Somiya. She is beautifully captured on film, by Ozu. The actress is helped by Chishu Ryu, who plays her father,

The Natural stars Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs. He is a baseball phenomenon, who leads The New York Knights to the pennant. This is after years of being cellar dwellers. They are managed by Pop Fisher, (Wilford Brimley), who is hanging on to his job by a thread. Brimley gives his all as the manager,

The Cincinnati Kid, is like many films made in Hollywood. It has a story that isn’t very strong, and weak supporting characters. The driving force behind the film are Steve McQueen and Edward G. Robinson. They play the Cincinnati Kid and Lancey Howard. McQueen and Robinson use their acting styles to great effect. Steve McQueen

Alfred Hitchcock’s Hollywood title, was The Master of Suspense. He directed films in England, before coming to America. The Lodger, is one of his early movies. He doesn’t use suspense as much. It seems he borrows more from German horror cinema. This involves the use of shadows, and closeups of terrified victims. The evening fog