Written as part of the weekly blogathon hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves. Be part of the fun by picking three movies that fit the week's theme and telling us about them!
This week, Halloween week, we are picking Ghost Movies. There are really two kinds of ghost movies - scary and sweet. And so, I have picked two from each. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the two older movies are sweet and the two newer films are scary.
I should also say that I saw Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak this weekend, and...... I was underwhelmed. I get that, in the end, it's less of a ghost story than "a story with a ghost in it" to use the film's own language, but it didn't go far enough into the gothic grandeur and melodrama for me. Disappointing, despite some absolutely fantastic elements.
The Canterville Ghost (Jules Dassin, 1944) Cowardly Sir Simon of Canterville has been cursed to haunt his family castle until one of the family's descendants performs a brave deed while wearing his signet ring. You see, he ran away from a duel and his father would NOT have him besmirch the Canterville name by being a coward. Three centuries pass full of cowardly Cantervilles, but when a soldier in a battalion stationed in Canterville Castle appears to have the Canterville birthmark, the portly Simon thinks he's finally found the one to break the curse. Based on a story by Oscar Wilde and starring Charles Laughton as Sir Simon and Margaret O'Brien as his youngest descendant, Jessica, The Canterville Ghost is all sorts of fun.
The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (Joseph L. Makiewicz, 1947) Young widow Lucy Muir (a luminous Gene Tierney) finally decides to strike out on her own and live with her daughter in a cottage by the sea. She was warned against it, but moves in anyway... only to find out that the place is haunted by its previous owner, the salty sea captain Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison, playing Rex Harrison as only he can). Their relationship starts off antagonistic, but soon cools into a mutual respect and then warms into.... can it be? YES!... love. With Natalie Wood as the Muir daughter Anna and George Sanders as the living part of the supernatural love triangle that inevitably forms, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is one of my favorite romances, and couldn't be more different from the classic TV sitcom it inspired.
The Others (Alejandro Amenábar, 2001) It is not long after World War II on the fog-flooded island of Jersey off the coast of England. Grace (Nicole Kidman in what is probably her best performance) has been living with her two children - who suffer from a rare disease characterized by "photosensitivity"; they could die if exposed to natural light - in a large house while her husband is away at war. Thankfully, three new servants have shown up to help her and the children. And just in time, too, as her daughter has been seeing a family of ghosts in the house and windows and doors have been flinging open by themselves. The Others is a masterpiece of restraint and mood, and also genuinely scary in moments. Even after you know all the story's twists and turns, the film is still a marvel to behold. And its final shot is one of the new millennium's most chilling, haunting images
The Conjuring (James Wan, 2014) Based on a true story from renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring is the best scary movie to hit theaters in quite some time, and it achieves that by taking horror back to basics: long takes, deep focus, a respect for craft, and care for its characters. The Perron family (led by Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston, perfectly ordinary empathetic) moves into a fixer-upper in 1971, and not long after moving in start to experience supernatural happenings. In fear and desperation, they turn to the Warrens (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, both fantastic), who confirm that the house is indeed haunted. By some mightily pissed off spirits. The letter-perfect period trappings contribute to the throwback feel of the film, but what really elevates The Conjuring above most horror films of the modern day is its structure: The film does not work unless you feel for the characters, and the early scenes make us feel like part of the Perron family. When things finally go south, it's not just horrifying, it's heartrending, because we feel for these characters, just like poor innocent Regan in The Exorcist and Rosemary in Rosemary's Baby.
I have not seen the Canterbury Ghost and it is on my wish list. I, too, picked The Ghost & Mrs. Muir and just find this film stunning. The others is truly frightening and very intelligent. The one thing I hate is gore and shock for shock's sake. I have not seen The Conjuring but , now i want to
I really have a hard time with gore, so all of these are good for the gore-averse. Canterbury Ghost is quite fun, and The Conjuring is good for when you want to be scared.
I haven't seen The Conjuring, though it sounds worth checking out, but the other three are wonderful picks.
Love The Canterville Ghost so much. Laughton is inimitable as only he can be and even Margaret O'Brien, who I can only take so much of aside from Meet Me in St. Louis, is less gooey than usual. It's a jolly good time.
This is the second time I've seen Ghost and Mrs. Muir pop up which is great. It's such a lovely gentle fable with its ethereal feeling and really captivating work by all but especially Gene Tierney and Sexy Rexy. Oh and I loved the old Hope Lange series, Reta Shaw!!!! as the housekeeper, but it was a very different animal from this film.
I usually can not abide Kidman, I know, I know most people think she's the bee's knees but I find her singularly dull and relatively talent free, however The Others is the one movie of hers where I ever thought she excelled. She's a large part of the film's success but overall its a fantastically chilly affair.
I like what you said about the expectation that the older films would be sweet while the newer are scary. So true most film makers have lost that ability to make sweet films with any kind of supernatural element. I like a good scare as much as the next guy but I enjoy the other just as much.
With all that said there is a rich vein of films that fit this week's theme so well and my original list was frighteningly long. I pared and cut but still could only get down to six that I just couldn't eliminate so I'm double dipping this week, but all mine lean more to the more subtle side of eeriness.
The Woman in Black (2012)-A young lawyer, Daniel Radcliffe, still grieving over the loss of his wife is sent to a remote village by his firm to tie up the affairs of a recently deceased client. Upon his arrival he discovers that the manor is haunted by the specter of a woman dressed entirely in black. Good old fashioned spooky thriller.
Undertow (2009)-In a poor Peruvian village Miguel, a married fisherman is living a double life. His wife is due to give birth any day while he conducts a secret affair with Santiago, a male artist who is considered an outsider within the close knit community. One day the artist disappears then reappears as an apparition only Miguel can see. Finally able to interact with Santiago free of the moral codes of the village he comes to terms with his true nature. Beautifully acted with an award level performance from Cristian Mercado in the lead.
The Uninvited (1944)-Touring the Cornish coast on vacation a brother and sister buy an old seaside house finding the price too cheap to resist. Hearing unexplained sounds during the night it becomes obvious that there is a haunting afoot. The key to the mystery lies in the house’s unhappy history and with the previous owner’s daughter, living on her grandfather’s adjoining estate. Well-acted and effectively directed with moody cinematography giving the picture an ethereal haze. A huge hit upon release it made a star of leading lady Gail Russell until an alcoholic downward spiral resulted in her literally drinking herself to death at 36.
I think you'd like The Conjuring. It's scary but not gratuitously so and the performances and production/costume design are seriously award-worthy. I know quite a lot of people don't appreciate Nicole Kidman's cool-as-ice/glass on-screen persona, but I like how she challenges herself and I often find her quite compelling.
Of yours, I thought The Woman in Black was fantastic and I sure as hell didn't expect it to be. I love Gothic horror tales and this was a very good one. I can't believe I didn't think of Undertow for this. One of my All-Time Favorites. I thought it was just stunning and so beautiful. I could go on and on about how great it is for DAYS. An unsung masterpiece. I have the Criterion Blu-Ray of The Uninvited waiting for me at home for Halloween night viewing. I can't wait.
I'm right there with you about Undertow. I saw it at a festival and didn't know exactly what to expect but it blew me away. I was so pleased when Peru submitted it that year as their entrant for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars and while it didn't make the short list it was great to see its quality acknowledged.
Between Two Worlds (1944)-During the London Blitz a down on his luck pianist and his wife make a suicide pact. Suddenly they find themselves on a fog shrouded ship headed to an unknown destination. Soon the wife recognizes the ship’s other passengers, having seen them killed earlier during an air raid, and realizes they’re journeying to their final judgements. Morality tale has supernatural underpinnings with an evocative score and stars a veritable who’s who of Warner’s stock company in the 40’s including Eleanor Parker, John Garfield, Sydney Greenstreet and Edmund Gwenn.
A Christmas Carol (1984)-On Christmas Eve penny pinching miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits offering him a chance at his reclamation. Classic Dickens tale gets one of its best interpretations with George C. Scott a perfect Scrooge surrounded by a near perfect cast. Presented as a TV event in the States this was released theatrically overseas and it is feature film quality in every detail.
The Time of Their Lives (1946)-The most unique of Abbott & Costello’s films. During the Revolutionary War tinker Lou Costello and aristocrat Marjorie Reynolds are mistakenly branded traitors, killed and cursed to roam her estate until proven innocent. Jump ahead 170 years when the new owner, his fiancée, her wisecracking aunt, the delightful Binnie Barnes, and his shrink played by Bud Abbott, show up to spend the weekend at the mansion now overseen by Gale Sondergaard, doing a fun riff on Rebecca’s Mrs. Danvers. Realizing the joint is haunted they perform a séance calling forth the ghosts and setting out to retrieve a letter from George Washington that would prove their innocence. Complications ensue. The pair share hardly any screen time due to the demands of the script and apparently behind the scenes tensions. It all works to the film's advantage since it gives a freshness to their material.
Between Two Worlds sounds VERY familiar, but I can't remember if I've actually seen it or not. A Christmas Carol - clever! George C. Scott is probably the best Scrooge, give or take Reginald Owen. I've never even heard of Time of Their Lives, but it sounds like great fun!
Oh THAT'S why... Between Two Worlds is an adaptation of the play Outward Bound - kind of a No Exit-type thing - which was also made as a British film. I'm still not sure if I've seen it or not (I think I have), but at least now I know why it sounded familiar.
I've seen the original Outward Bound, it was terribly British old chap and all that but a decent film I really preferred this one though.
The story is almost identical but that cast, Edmund Gwenn as Scrubby the barman, Sydney Greenstreet as the Examiner, Isobel Elsom doing her best haughty bitch, Gilbert Emery giving the most beautiful performance as her cuckolded husband, Sara Allgood as the wise Mrs. Midget, John Garfield's tortured writer and on and on are just so much more engaged and engaging. It's one of my favorite films.
I dismissed The Others when it was first released but after watching it years later, I was pretty scared but the story was brilliant as well as tragic. A good mix I'd say.
I've seen all your picks except for the first one. I still don't get why The Conjuring is so popular. I guess I like the first part, the hauntings were creepy. But then it became yet another possession story. The Others on the other hand I love. Picked it for haunted houses last year I think.
I have not seen the Canterbury Ghost and it is on my wish list. I, too, picked The Ghost & Mrs. Muir and just find this film stunning. The others is truly frightening and very intelligent. The one thing I hate is gore and shock for shock's sake. I have not seen The Conjuring but , now i want to
ReplyDeleteI really have a hard time with gore, so all of these are good for the gore-averse. Canterbury Ghost is quite fun, and The Conjuring is good for when you want to be scared.
DeleteSo I watched the trailers and I let out a scream and jumped at the end of The Conjuring...that freaked me out.
DeleteYes, The Conjuring is good with the jump scares.
DeleteI haven't seen The Conjuring, though it sounds worth checking out, but the other three are wonderful picks.
ReplyDeleteLove The Canterville Ghost so much. Laughton is inimitable as only he can be and even Margaret O'Brien, who I can only take so much of aside from Meet Me in St. Louis, is less gooey than usual. It's a jolly good time.
This is the second time I've seen Ghost and Mrs. Muir pop up which is great. It's such a lovely gentle fable with its ethereal feeling and really captivating work by all but especially Gene Tierney and Sexy Rexy. Oh and I loved the old Hope Lange series, Reta Shaw!!!! as the housekeeper, but it was a very different animal from this film.
I usually can not abide Kidman, I know, I know most people think she's the bee's knees but I find her singularly dull and relatively talent free, however The Others is the one movie of hers where I ever thought she excelled. She's a large part of the film's success but overall its a fantastically chilly affair.
I like what you said about the expectation that the older films would be sweet while the newer are scary. So true most film makers have lost that ability to make sweet films with any kind of supernatural element. I like a good scare as much as the next guy but I enjoy the other just as much.
With all that said there is a rich vein of films that fit this week's theme so well and my original list was frighteningly long. I pared and cut but still could only get down to six that I just couldn't eliminate so I'm double dipping this week, but all mine lean more to the more subtle side of eeriness.
The Woman in Black (2012)-A young lawyer, Daniel Radcliffe, still grieving over the loss of his wife is sent to a remote village by his firm to tie up the affairs of a recently deceased client. Upon his arrival he discovers that the manor is haunted by the specter of a woman dressed entirely in black. Good old fashioned spooky thriller.
Undertow (2009)-In a poor Peruvian village Miguel, a married fisherman is living a double life. His wife is due to give birth any day while he conducts a secret affair with Santiago, a male artist who is considered an outsider within the close knit community. One day the artist disappears then reappears as an apparition only Miguel can see. Finally able to interact with Santiago free of the moral codes of the village he comes to terms with his true nature. Beautifully acted with an award level performance from Cristian Mercado in the lead.
The Uninvited (1944)-Touring the Cornish coast on vacation a brother and sister buy an old seaside house finding the price too cheap to resist. Hearing unexplained sounds during the night it becomes obvious that there is a haunting afoot. The key to the mystery lies in the house’s unhappy history and with the previous owner’s daughter, living on her grandfather’s adjoining estate. Well-acted and effectively directed with moody cinematography giving the picture an ethereal haze. A huge hit upon release it made a star of leading lady Gail Russell until an alcoholic downward spiral resulted in her literally drinking herself to death at 36.
I think you'd like The Conjuring. It's scary but not gratuitously so and the performances and production/costume design are seriously award-worthy. I know quite a lot of people don't appreciate Nicole Kidman's cool-as-ice/glass on-screen persona, but I like how she challenges herself and I often find her quite compelling.
DeleteOf yours, I thought The Woman in Black was fantastic and I sure as hell didn't expect it to be. I love Gothic horror tales and this was a very good one. I can't believe I didn't think of Undertow for this. One of my All-Time Favorites. I thought it was just stunning and so beautiful. I could go on and on about how great it is for DAYS. An unsung masterpiece. I have the Criterion Blu-Ray of The Uninvited waiting for me at home for Halloween night viewing. I can't wait.
I'm right there with you about Undertow. I saw it at a festival and didn't know exactly what to expect but it blew me away. I was so pleased when Peru submitted it that year as their entrant for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars and while it didn't make the short list it was great to see its quality acknowledged.
DeleteBetween Two Worlds (1944)-During the London Blitz a down on his luck pianist and his wife make a suicide pact. Suddenly they find themselves on a fog shrouded ship headed to an unknown destination. Soon the wife recognizes the ship’s other passengers, having seen them killed earlier during an air raid, and realizes they’re journeying to their final judgements. Morality tale has supernatural underpinnings with an evocative score and stars a veritable who’s who of Warner’s stock company in the 40’s including Eleanor Parker, John Garfield, Sydney Greenstreet and Edmund Gwenn.
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Carol (1984)-On Christmas Eve penny pinching miser Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by three spirits offering him a chance at his reclamation. Classic Dickens tale gets one of its best interpretations with George C. Scott a perfect Scrooge surrounded by a near perfect cast. Presented as a TV event in the States this was released theatrically overseas and it is feature film quality in every detail.
The Time of Their Lives (1946)-The most unique of Abbott & Costello’s films. During the Revolutionary War tinker Lou Costello and aristocrat Marjorie Reynolds are mistakenly branded traitors, killed and cursed to roam her estate until proven innocent. Jump ahead 170 years when the new owner, his fiancée, her wisecracking aunt, the delightful Binnie Barnes, and his shrink played by Bud Abbott, show up to spend the weekend at the mansion now overseen by Gale Sondergaard, doing a fun riff on Rebecca’s Mrs. Danvers. Realizing the joint is haunted they perform a séance calling forth the ghosts and setting out to retrieve a letter from George Washington that would prove their innocence. Complications ensue. The pair share hardly any screen time due to the demands of the script and apparently behind the scenes tensions. It all works to the film's advantage since it gives a freshness to their material.
Between Two Worlds sounds VERY familiar, but I can't remember if I've actually seen it or not. A Christmas Carol - clever! George C. Scott is probably the best Scrooge, give or take Reginald Owen. I've never even heard of Time of Their Lives, but it sounds like great fun!
DeleteOh THAT'S why... Between Two Worlds is an adaptation of the play Outward Bound - kind of a No Exit-type thing - which was also made as a British film. I'm still not sure if I've seen it or not (I think I have), but at least now I know why it sounded familiar.
DeleteI've seen the original Outward Bound, it was terribly British old chap and all that but a decent film I really preferred this one though.
DeleteThe story is almost identical but that cast, Edmund Gwenn as Scrubby the barman, Sydney Greenstreet as the Examiner, Isobel Elsom doing her best haughty bitch, Gilbert Emery giving the most beautiful performance as her cuckolded husband, Sara Allgood as the wise Mrs. Midget, John Garfield's tortured writer and on and on are just so much more engaged and engaging. It's one of my favorite films.
I get a shiver just reading about TheOthers!
ReplyDeleteI know, right? Chilling in the first degree.
DeleteI love that you went with The Others. That was a good one, I haven't seen the other two.
ReplyDeleteI thought more people might go with The Others, to be honest.
DeleteThe Others is SO GOOD...and chilling to the bone.
ReplyDeleteI really need to see The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Oh you are gonna LOVE The Ghost & Mrs. Muir.
DeleteI dismissed The Others when it was first released but after watching it years later, I was pretty scared but the story was brilliant as well as tragic. A good mix I'd say.
ReplyDeleteExactly right - scary, brilliant, and tragic.
DeleteI've seen all your picks except for the first one.
ReplyDeleteI still don't get why The Conjuring is so popular. I guess I like the first part, the hauntings were creepy. But then it became yet another possession story.
The Others on the other hand I love. Picked it for haunted houses last year I think.