World Cup of Classic Horror Movies

The FIFA Men’s World Cup is right around the corner and this gave me an idea. Rather, it gave film critic Mark Kermode and radio presenter Simon Mayo an idea and I am shamelessly stealing it from them. They had their own World Cup of Horror Movies on their podcast a few weeks ago, in which Mayo would draw two numbers representing two horror films and Kermode would pick his favorite. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I am literally picking two (classic horror, as per) movies out of a hat as I type and I’m also watching Mayo and Kermode’s video for instructions. And I should point out that, like the real World Cup, I do not understand the rules. Here we go.

Psycho (1960) vs The Thing From Another World (1951) – Psycho. Obviously. I should point out that I really like TTFAW but I actually like John Carpenter’s version better. In fact, that is probably my all-time favorite Horror film.

The Most Dangerous Game (1932) vs The Spiral Staircase (1946) – Well, God damn it. Bagel on a bike. Heavens above. Prooooobably The Spiral Stai-, no. The Most Dangerous Game. Or maybe… Ah, damn. 1-1.

Dracula (1931) vs Freaks (1932) – Interesting. Freaks.

Cat People (1942) vs The Uninvited (1944) – Adore both, but you know I love me some Cat People.

Night of the Hunter (1955) vs I Vampiri (1957) – Please. Night of the Hunter, any day.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) vs Plan 9 From Outer Space (1957) – Obviously Plan 9 Fr-, kidding, Body Snatchers.

Nosferatu (1922) vs The Invisible Man (1933) – Oooooohhhhhhh. Hmmm, probably The Invisible Man. I adore Claude Rains and he’s brilliant in it.

Les Diaboliques (1955) vs The Wolfman (1941) – Love both, but LES DIABOLIQUES! That twist is outstanding.

Do, do we go again? Semi-finals? Dance-off? I don’t know!

ONE MOVIE, THREE QUOTES: Cat People (1942)

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Horror Month is here! About three years ago, I wrote a piece about Cat People (1942) and why I think Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon) is such a great tragic character. And because I’m doing that whole re-visiting stuff thing, I thought I’d go back to Cat People for Horror Month’s ONE MOVIE, THREE QUOTES.

Written by DeWitt Bodeen (another SCREENPLAY BY-ee from yesteryear) and directed by Jacques Tourneur, Cat People tells the story of Irene Dubrovna, a sketch artist who believes she will turn into a panther if gives into her sexual desires. And you know what, I like Irena so much, all of the quotes are hers.

1. ‘It’s just that cats don’t seem to like me.’ Irena – Fantastic foreshadowing and perhaps the most famous line in the film.
   1. ‘I envy them. They’re happy. They make their husbands happy. They lead normal, happy lives.’ Irena – Her desire to be ‘normal’ is a motif throughout the film and like I said in my previous piece, there is a wonderful social commentary in all of that, which is just magnificent.
   1. ‘They torment me. I wake in the night and the trail of their feet whispers in my brain. I have no peace, for they are in me.’ Irena – Bodeen’s screenplay is filled with these quotes and I personally adore them. Irena’s torment is heart-wrenching but her vulnerability is endearing. A brilliant character from a brilliant film.

Happy Horror Month!